Evaluation of Tests with Early Life Stages of Fish for Predicting Long-Term Toxicity

1977 ◽  
Vol 34 (8) ◽  
pp. 1148-1154 ◽  
Author(s):  
James M. McKim
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Early Life ◽  
Developmental Stages ◽  
Quality Criteria ◽  
Toxicity Tests ◽  
Water Quality Criteria ◽  
Life Stages ◽  
Early Life Stages ◽  
Aquatic Life

Partial and complete life-cycle toxicity tests with fish, involving all developmental stages, have been used extensively in the establishment of water-quality criteria for aquatic life. During extended chronic exposures of fish to selected toxicants, certain developmental stages have frequently shown a greater sensitivity than others. In 56 life-cycle toxicity tests completed during the last decade with 34 organic and inorganic chemicals and four species of fish, the embryo–larval and early juvenile life stages were the most, or among the most, sensitive. Tests with these stages can be used to estimate the maximum acceptable toxicant concentration (MATC) within a factor of two in most cases. Therefore, toxicity tests with these early life stages of fish should be useful in establishing water-quality criteria and in screening large numbers of chemicals. Key words: fish, embryos, larvae, chronic toxicity, early life stages

scholarly journals Geochemical and biological controls on the ecological relevance of total, dissolved, and colloidal forms of trace elements in large boreal rivers: review and case studies

2020 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 138-163
Author(s):  
C.W. Cuss ◽  
C.N. Glover ◽  
M.B. Javed ◽  
A. Nagel ◽  
W. Shotyk
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Trace Elements ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
Quality Criteria ◽  
Water Levels ◽  
Water Quality Criteria ◽  
Aquatic Life ◽  
Athabasca River ◽  
Biological Variables ◽  
Boreal Rivers

The concentrations of trace elements (TEs) in large boreal rivers can fluctuate markedly due to changing water levels and flow rates associated with spring melt and variable contributions from tributaries and groundwaters, themselves having different compositions. These fluctuating and frequently high concentrations create regulatory challenges for protecting aquatic life. For example, water quality criteria do not account for changes in flow regimes that can result in TE levels that may exceed regulatory limits, and neither do they account for the markedly different lability and bioaccessibility of suspended solids. This review addresses the geochemical and biological processes that govern the lability and bioaccessibility of TEs in boreal rivers, with an emphasis on the challenges posed by the colloidal behaviour of many TEs, and their relationship to the dissolved fraction (i.e., <0.45 μm in size). After reviewing the processes and dynamics that give rise to the forms and behaviour of TEs in large boreal rivers, their relevance for aquatic organisms and the associated relationships between size and lability and bioaccessibility are discussed. The importance of biological variables and different forms of TEs for limiting lability and bioaccessibility are also addressed. Two case studies emphasize seasonal fluctuations and accompanying changes in the distribution of TE amongst different size fractions and associated colloidal species in large boreal rivers: the Northern Dvina and one of its tributaries, the Pinega River, both in Russia, and the Athabasca River in Alberta, Canada. Water quality in the Athabasca River is briefly discussed with respect to Canadian guidelines.

Acute Toxicity of Copper, Cadmium, and zinc to Larvae of the Crab Paragrapus quadridentatus (H. Milne Edwards), and Implications for Water Quality Criteria

1978 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 1 ◽  
Author(s):  
M Ahsanullah ◽  
GH Arnott
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Heavy Metal ◽  
Acute Toxicity ◽  
Metal Toxicity ◽  
Quality Criteria ◽  
Toxicity Tests ◽  
Water Quality Criteria ◽  
Minimal Risk ◽  
Larval Stages ◽  
Acute Toxicity Tests

Acute toxicity tests were carried out on the larvae of P. quadridentatus and 96-h LC50 values of 0.17, 0.49, and 1.23 mg/l were determined for copper, cadmium, and zinc respectively. Potency ratios of the three metals were as follows: Cu/Cd 3.1, Cu/Zn 7.2, and Cd/Zn 2.4. Larvae were found to be nine times more sensitive to zinc and at least 29 times more sensitive to cadmium than were adults. The larval 96-h LC50 values multiplied by an application factor of 0.01 (as recommended in Victorian water quality criteria) results in derived 'safe' concentrations, which in the case of copper and zinc are below the stated 'minimal risk concentrations' of 10 and 20 �g/I respectively. In view of the known greater sensitivity of larvae of many taxa to heavy metal toxicity, the validity of using the same application factor for both adult and larval stages is questioned.

Effect of cadmium on the embryos and juveniles of a tropical freshwater snail, Physa acuta (Draparnaud, 1805)

1998 ◽  
Vol 38 (7) ◽  
pp. 263-270 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. C. C. Cheung ◽  
P. K. S. Lam
Keyword(s):  
Early Life ◽  
Freshwater Snail ◽  
Toxicity Tests ◽  
Life Stages ◽  
Early Life Stages ◽  
Physa Acuta ◽  
Ecotoxicological Tests ◽  
Embryonic Growth ◽  
Potential Use ◽  
Tropical Freshwater

The effects of cadmium on early life stages of a freshwater snail, Physa acuta (Draparnaud), were investigated. The 24- and 48-hour LC50 for embryos were 1.27 mg/l (95% confidence interval: 1.13 - 1.42) and 0.85 mg/l (0.71 - 1.01), respectively. The 24- and 48-hour LC50 for juveniles were 1.32 mg/l (1.13 - 1.54) and 1.05 mg/l (0.81 - 1.36), respectively. An increase in cadmium concentrations at sublethal levels resulted in a significant reduction in embryo growth rate and embryo hatchability. Developmental deformities of the embryos were also observed. The NOEC and LOEC for embryonic growth were 0.32 and 0.50 mg/l, respectively, and the LOEC for hatchability was 0.13 mg/l. These results suggest that embryonic growth and hatchability are useful endpoints in chronic toxicity tests. In addition, the potential use of early life stages of pulmonate snails in ecotoxicological tests is discussed.

Acute toxicity of chromium, mercury, molybdenum and nickel to the amphipod Allorchestes compressa

1982 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 465 ◽  
Author(s):  
M Ahsanullah
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Acute Toxicity ◽  
Toxic Effect ◽  
Quality Criteria ◽  
Toxicity Tests ◽  
Water Quality Criteria ◽  
Acute Toxicity Tests

In acute toxicity tests on A. compressa, the 96-h LC50 values for mercury, chromium, nickel and molybdenum were: respectively, 0.08, 5.56,34.68 and 247.12 mg I-1. The results suggest that mercury has the most toxic effect on A. compressa, followed by chromium, nickel and molybdenum. The applicability of acute toxicity tests in establishing water-quality criteria is discussed.

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