Acute and chronic toxicity of nickel to a cladoceran (Ceriodaphnia dubia) and an amphipod (Hyalella azteca)

Abstract

This study evaluated acute and chronic nickel (Ni) toxicity to Ceriodaphnia dubia and Hyalella azteca with the objective of generating information for the development of a biotic ligand model for Ni. Testing with C. dubia was used to evaluate the effect of ambient hardness on Ni toxicity, whereas the larger H. azteca was used to derive lethal body burden information for Ni toxicity. As was expected, acute C. dubia median lethal concentrations (LC50s) for Ni increased with increasing water hardness. The 48-h LC50s were 81, 148, 261, and 400 microg/L at hardnesses of 50, 113, 161, and 253 mg/L (as CaCO3), respectively. Ceriodaphnia dubia was found to be significantly more sensitive in chronic exposures than other species tested (including other daphnids such as Daphnia magna); chronic toxicity was less dependent on hardness than was acute toxicity. Chronic 20% effective concentrations (EC20s) were estimated at <3.8, 4.7, 4.0, and 6.9 microg/L at hardnesses of 50, 113, 161, and 253 mg/L, respectively. Testing with H. azteca resulted in a 96-h LC50 of 3,045 microg/L and a 14-d EC20 of 61 microg/L at a hardness of 98 mg/L (as CaCO3). Survival was more sensitive than was growth in the chronic study with H. azteca. The 20% lethal accumulation effect level based on measured Ni body burdens was 247 nmol/g wet weight.

Seasonal and Regional Variations of Metal Contamination and Condition Indicators in Yellow Perch (Perca flavescens) along Two Polymetallic Gradients. I. Factors Influencing Tissue Metal Concentrations

“…Although there was no evidence of Ni contamination in RN lakes, the highest sediment Cu concentration, measured in RN4, was around 10 times higher than the 4-week lowest effect concentration of 1118 µg/g dw reported for Hyalella azteca (Borgmann and Norwood 1997). In the most contaminated Sudbury lakes (S4 and S5), aqueous Ni concentrations exceeded the 48-h LC50 value of 81 µg/L reported for Ceriodaphnia dubia in water having hardness values close to those reported for these lakes (Keithly et al 2004). Given the wide range of yellow perch dietary preferences, the variability in contamination within a particular food type and seasonal variations (e.g., benthic invertebrates, Hare et al 2001), instead of measuring metal concentrations in a range of potential food items that yellow perch may or may not eat, we analyzed metal contamination in the diet that fish themselves sampled.…”

Revisions to the derivation of the Australian and New Zealand guidelines for toxicants in fresh and marine waters

“…A number of biotic ligand models (BLMs) have been developed for copper (e.g. Santore et al, 2001;Janssen, 2002 and2004;USEPA, 2007b), nickel (Keithly et al, 2004;Hoang et al, 2004), silver (Paquin et al 1999) and zinc (Heijerick et al, 2002a;Heijerick et al, 2002b), however, there are very limited data available to develop quantitative relationships between environmental factors and toxicity, irrespective of their type, that would permit the calculation of site-specific trigger values.…”

Ecological impacts of lead mining on Ozark streams: Toxicity of sediment and pore water

“…These results are consistent with available toxicity data, which indicates that C. dubia is the most sensitive aquatic taxon tested for Ni toxicity (USEPA, 1996). Chronic (7-d) LC20s of 12 mg/L or less and EC20s for reproduction of 7 mg/L or less were reported for C. dubia in tests with water hardness up to 253 mg/L (Keithly et al, 2004;USEPA, 1996). However, our data cannot distinguish possible toxic effects of Ni (or other metals associated with mining) from possible toxicity due to elevated concentrations of ammonia or Mn, which occurred at high concentrations in sediments with and without direct influence of mining.…”