Acute and chronic toxicity tests were conducted with three aquatic species to determine the effects of metals combined as mixtures at proposed water quality criteria concentrations and at multiples of the LC50 and maximum acceptable toxicant concentration (MATC) obtained from tests on six metals. These studies were the first part of a larger research effort to derive water quality criteria for combined pollutants by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.Arsenic, cadmium, chromium, copper, mercury and lead combined at criterion maximum concentrations caused nearly 100% mortality in rainbow trout and daphnids (Cerioduphniu dubiu) during acute exposures. Fathead minnows were not adversely affected at this or two times this concentration, although a mixture of four to eight times the maximum value caused 15 to 60% mortality. Metals combined at the criterion average concentrations significantly reduced production of daphnid young and growth of fathead minnows after 7 and 32 d, respectively. Embryo hatchability and survival of rainbow trout were reduced at four times this criterion but not at the criterion average concentration.Acute tests with metals mixed at multiples of the LC50 indicated that the joint action of the metals was more than additive for fathead minnows and nearly strictly additive for daphnids, based on toxic units calculated from the individual components of the mixture. Chronic tests showed that the joint action was less than additive for fathead minnows but nearly strictly additive for daphnids, indicating that long-term metal interactions may be different in fish than in lower invertebrates. Adverse effects were observed at mixture concentrations of one-half to one-third the MATC for fathead minnows and daphnids, respectively, suggesting that components of mixtures at or below no effect concentrations may contribute significantly to the toxicity of a mixture on a chronic basis. These results point out the need for additional studies to determine the type and degree of interaction of toxicants because single-chemical water quality criteria may not sufficiently protect some species when other toxicants are also present.

Acute and chronic toxicity tests were conducted with three aquatic species to determine the effects of metals combined as mixtures at proposed water quality criteria concentrations and at multiples of the LC50 and maximum acceptable toxicant concentration (MATC) obtained from tests on six metals. These studies were the first part of a larger research effort to derive water quality criteria for combined pollutants by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Arsenic, cadmium, chromium, copper, mercury and lead combined at criterion maximum concentrations caused nearly 100% mortality in rainbow trout and daphnids (Ceriodaphnia dubia) during acute exposures. Fathead minnows were not adversely affected at this or two times this concentration, although a mixture of four to eight times the maximum value caused 15 to 60% mortality. Metals combined at the criterion average concentrations significantly reduced production of daphnid young and growth of fathead minnows after 7 and 32 d, respectively. Embryo hatchability and survival of rainbow trout were reduced at four times this criterion but not at the criterion average concentration. Acute tests with metals mixed at multiples of the LC50 indicated that the joint action of the metals was more than additive for fathead minnows and nearly strictly additive for daphnids, based on toxic units calculated from the individual components of the mixture. Chronic tests showed that the joint action was less than additive for fathead minnows but nearly strictly additive for daphnids, indicating that long‐term metal interactions may be different in fish than in lower invertebrates. Adverse effects were observed at mixture concentrations of one‐half to one‐third the MATC for fathead minnows and daphnids, respectively, suggesting that components of mixtures at or below no effect concentrations may contribute significantly to the toxicity of a mixture on a chronic basis. These results point out the need for additional studies to determine the type and degree of interaction of toxicants because single‐chemical water quality criteria may not sufficiently protect some species when other toxicants are also present.

Three generations of brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) were exposed to several concentrations of total cadmium (0.06–6.4 μg Cd/liter). Significant numbers of first‐ and second‐generation adult males died during spawning at 3.4 μg Cd/liter. This concentration also significantly retarded growth of juvenile second‐ and third‐generation offspring. The maximum acceptable toxicant concentration (MATC) for brook trout exposed to cadmium in Lake Superior water (hardness 44 mg/liter as CaCO 3, pH 7–8) lies between 1.7 and 3.4 μg Cd/liter. Cadmium‐residue analyses of kidney, liver, gill, gonad, spleen, muscle, and red blood cells frown first‐ and second‐ generation trout indicated that kidney, liver, and gill tissue accumulated the greatest amounts of cadmium at each water exposure concentration. No significant increases in cadmium were measured in edible muscle at any of the cadmium water concentrations tested. Cadmium residues in kidney, liver, and gill tissue of fish frown all exposure concentrations reached equilibrium (μg Cd/g tissue) in both first‐ and second‐generation trout after 20 weeks. Cadmium loss from gill tissue of second‐generation trout placed in control water for 12 weeks was rapid; however, no loss was detectable from the liver and kidney.

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