ABSTRACT
The starting point for embarking on truly utilitarian studies in support of ecological assessment work can only be the acknowledgment of the design flaws just mentioned and conceding, in full, that newly acquired information, novel as it may be, but stemming nevertheless from studies with inherent design flaws, is absolutely worthless for Ecological Risk Assessment (ERA). ERA concerns over the chemical exposures of avians recognize that opportunities for birds to succumb or, minimally, to accumulate what may be unhealthful chemical residues do not simply commence with feeding and other activities in post-hatch life. Better-quality egg-injection studies will consider multiple locations for chemical delivery, as perhaps the yolk and the albumin in addition to the air cell. Other experimental design variables will include dose and volume of the substance injected. The fact remains that egg-injection studies do proceed for the purposes of crafting lowest observed adverse effect levels (LOAELs) and related toxicological benchmarks for use in desktop ERAs.
