Relative sensitivity of an amphipod Hyalella azteca, a midge Chironomus dilutus, and a unionid mussel Lampsilis siliquoidea to a toxic sediment

Abstract

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the relative sensitivity of test organisms in exposures to dilutions of a highly toxic sediment contaminated with metals and organic compounds. One dilution series was prepared using control sand (low total organic carbon [TOC; <0.1%, low binding capacity for contaminants]) and a second dilution series was prepared using control sediment from West Bearskin Lake, Minnesota, USA (high TOC [$10% TOC, higher binding capacity for contaminants]). Test organisms included an amphipod (Hyalella azteca; 10-d and 28-d exposures), a midge (Chironomus dilutus; 20-d and 48-d exposures started with <1-h-old larvae, and 13-d and 48-d exposures started with 7-d-old larvae), and a unionid mussel (Lampsilis siliquoidea; 28-d exposures). Relative species sensitivity depended on the toxicity endpoint and the diluent. All 3 species were more sensitive in sand dilutions than in West Bearskin Lake sediment dilutions. The <1-h-old C. dilutus were more sensitive than 7-d-old C. dilutus, but replicate variability was high in exposures started with the younger midge larvae. Larval biomass and adult emergence endpoints of C. dilutus exhibited a similar sensitivity. Survival, weight, and biomass of H. azteca were more sensitive endpoints in 28-d exposures than in 10-d exposures. Weight and biomass of L. siliquoidea were sensitive endpoints in both sand and West Bearskin Lake sediment dilutions. Metals, ammonia, oil, and other organic contaminants may have contributed to the observed toxicity.

Evaluation of chronic toxicity of sodium chloride or potassium chloride to a unionid mussel (Lampsilis siliquoidea) in water exposures using standard and refined toxicity testing methods

“…Second, the regular replacement of sand and test chambers every 2 wk reduced the potential effects of accumulated debris and biofilm formation on the chamber surface, especially during the longer-term 12-wk exposures. Therefore, dry weight has been preferred as a growth endpoint in recent chronic water and sediment toxicity tests (Besser et al 2015;Ingersoll et al 2015;Kunz et al 2017;Wang et al 2016Wang et al , 2017bWang et al , 2018a. For example, comparing tests started with 2-mo-old juveniles, the control mussels in the 2012 4-wk NaCl toxicity test conducted at 20 8C gained 1.3-fold of initial weight in water exposure without sand and 1.5-fold in water with sand (Table 2); these growth rates were similar to those observed in previous studies conducted at 20 8C under similar test conditions (Wang et al 2007a(Wang et al , 2011.…”

“…The survival of control mussels in previous chronic tests (e.g., Wang et al 2007aWang et al , 2010Wang et al , 2011Wang et al , 2016Besser et al 2013;Kunz et al 2017) exceeds the test acceptability criterion of !80% survival for chronic water-only exposures with juvenile mussels (ASTM International 2017); however, the growth of mussels in controls of these studies has been inconsistent among chronic toxicity tests . Because mussel growth is often a more sensitive endpoint than survival (e.g., Wang et al 2007aWang et al , 2010Wang et al , 2011Wang et al , 2013Wang et al , 2016Besser et al 2015;Ingersoll et al 2015), consistency in growth across studies is important to better assess mussel responses to contaminants. Further studies were necessary to optimize feeding and other test conditions for assessing the mussel growth endpoint (Wang et al 2011;Ingersoll et al 2015).…”

“…Because mussel growth is often a more sensitive endpoint than survival (e.g., Wang et al 2007aWang et al , 2010Wang et al , 2011Wang et al , 2013Wang et al , 2016Besser et al 2015;Ingersoll et al 2015), consistency in growth across studies is important to better assess mussel responses to contaminants. Further studies were necessary to optimize feeding and other test conditions for assessing the mussel growth endpoint (Wang et al 2011;Ingersoll et al 2015). …”

Acute and chronic toxicity of aluminum to a unionid mussel (Lampsilis siliquoidea) and an amphipod (Hyalella azteca) in water‐only exposures

“…A batch of 7-d-old amphipods was cultured inhouse from <24-h-old amphipods [28] for acute or chronic toxicity testing. A batch of 7-d-old amphipods was cultured inhouse from <24-h-old amphipods [28] for acute or chronic toxicity testing.…”

Ecotoxicity of sediments in rivers: Invertebrate community, toxicity bioassays and the toxic unit approach as complementary assessment tools

“…Different exposure routes, modes of chemical action and different sensitivities may exist for benthic organisms (Rodriguez and Reynoldson, 1999;Ingersoll et al, 2015). From an ecotoxicological perspective, various approaches (e.g., interstitial water quality, spiked sediment toxicity, tissue residue) were developed to detect the specific effects of chemicals on organisms living in sediment, but only whole-sediment tests using benthic organisms are suitable for a realistic risk assessment of the sediment compartment (OECD, 1992;Vandegehuchte et al, 2013).…”