The Toxicity of Malathion to Unionid Mussels: Relationship to Expected Environmental Concentrations

Keller, Anne E.; Ruessler, D. Shane

doi:10.1897/1551-5028(1997)016<1028:ttomtu>2.3.co;2

Cited by 16 publications

(23 citation statements)

References 11 publications

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“…Data generated by our laboratories generally followed protocols published by us for mussel toxicity tests with other compounds [8]. Static toxicity tests were 24-to 96-h exposures with glochidia or juvenile stages of mussels.…”

Section: Development Of the Ammonia Toxicity Databasementioning

confidence: 99%

Water quality guidance for protection of freshwater mussels (Unionidae) from ammonia exposure

Augspurger

Keller

Black

et al. 2003

Enviro Toxic and Chemistry

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Ammonia toxicity data for freshwater mussels (Unionidae), a significantly imperiled taxa, were used to derive estimates of concentrations that would not likely be harmful in acute and chronic exposures and to assess the protectiveness of current U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) water quality criteria to this family of organisms. Thirty acute (24-96-h) median lethal concentrations (LC50s), covering 10 species in eight unionid genera, were used to calculate genus mean acute values (GMAVs) ranging from 2.56 to 8.97 mg/L total ammonia as N at pH 8. Freshwater mussels are at the sensitive end of the range when added to the GMAVs from the database used to derive the U.S. EPA criteria maximum concentration (CMC). We derived two estimates of acute exposure water quality guidance for the protection of freshwater mussels (CMC(FM)) by a recalculation of the CMC after adding freshwater mussel GMAVs to the U.S. EPA data set. The CMC(FM)s of 1.75 and 2.50 mg/L total ammonia as N at pH 8 average 60% less than the U.S. EPA CMC of 5.62 mg/L total ammonia as N at pH 8 for application when salmonids are present. These values average about 75% less than the CMC for application when salmonids are absent. No chronic ammonia exposure data existed for unionids. Thus, we applied a range of estimated acute:chronic ratios to the acute toxicity data set, expanded with the freshwater mussel GMAVs. to estimate continuous ammonia concentrations that may be protective of freshwater mussels. These estimates ranged from 0.3 to 1.0 mg/L total ammonia as N at pH 8, about 20 to 75% less than the U.S. EPA criteria continuous concentration (CCC) of 1.24 mg/L total ammonia as N at pH 8 and 25 degrees C. The current numeric criteria for ammonia may not be protective of mussels, more than half of whose nearly 300 species are in decline in North America. While the CMC(FM) and CCC(FM) are not equivalent to revised U.S. EPA criteria, they are offered as interim guidance for the protection of freshwater mussels.

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Section: Development Of the Ammonia Toxicity Databasementioning

confidence: 99%

Water quality guidance for protection of freshwater mussels (Unionidae) from ammonia exposure

Augspurger

Keller

Black

et al. 2003

Enviro Toxic and Chemistry

Self Cite

170

161

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“…Published toxicological data indicate that early life stages of freshwater mussels (glochidia and juveniles) are among the most sensitive aquatic organisms to contaminants such as ammonia [3][4][5], metals [6], and some pesticides [7]. In contrast, early life stages of mussels have been reported to be less sensitive to some pesticides compared to other aquatic invertebrates such as amphipods, chironomids, and cladocerans [7][8][9]. Because spring/summer agricultural pesticide applications often coincide with the reproductive period of native freshwater mussels, early life stages of mussels may be exposed to high concentrations of pesticides due to overspray or runoff.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Acute and chronic toxicity of glyphosate compounds to glochidia and juveniles of Lampsilis siliquoidea (unionidae)

Bringolf

Cope

Mosher

et al. 2007

Enviro Toxic and Chemistry

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Native freshwater mussels (family Unionidae) are among the most imperiled faunal groups in the world. Factors contributing to the decline of mussel populations likely include pesticides and other aquatic contaminants; however, there is a paucity of data regarding the toxicity of even the most globally distributed pesticides, including glyphosate, to mussels. Therefore, the toxicity of several forms of glyphosate, its formulations, and a surfactant (MON 0818) used in several glyphosate formulations was determined for early life stages of Lampsilis siliquoidea, a native freshwater mussel. Acute and chronic toxicity tests were performed with a newly established American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM) standard guide for conducting toxicity tests with freshwater mussels. Roundup, its active ingredient, the technical-grade isopropylamine (IPA) salt of glyphosate, IPA alone, and MON 0818 (the surfactant in Roundup formulations) were each acutely toxic to L. siliquoidea glochidia. MON 0818 was most toxic of the compounds tested and the 48-h median effective concentration (0.5 mg/L) for L. siliquoidea glochidia is the lowest reported for any aquatic organism tested to date. Juvenile L. siliquoidea were also acutely sensitive to MON 0818, Roundup, glyphosate IPA salt, and IPA alone. Technical-grade glyphosate and Aqua Star were not acutely toxic to glochidia or juveniles. Ranking of relative chronic toxicity of the glyphosate-related compounds to juvenile mussels was similar to the ranking of relative acute toxicity to juveniles. Growth data from chronic tests was largely inconclusive. In summary, these results indicate that L. siliquoidea, a representative of the nearly 300 freshwater mussel taxa in North America, is among the most sensitive aquatic organisms tested to date with glyphosate-based chemicals and the surfactant MON 0818.

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“…Several studies found the larval glochidia of certain unionid species including V. iris are more sensitive than juveniles to various toxicants (Keller and Ruessler 1997;Augspurger et al 2003;Valenti et al 2005). Physiological advantages of juvenile mussels may also contribute to their tolerance of toxicological stressors.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

An Evaluation of a Point Source Brine Discharge into a Riverine System and Implications for TDS Limitations

Echols

Currie

Valenti

et al. 2012

Human and Ecological Risk Assessment: An International Journal

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The North Fork Holston River (NFHR) below Saltville, Virginia, has been the subject of many studies due to years of contamination from a closed chloroalkali plant. In addition, a point source brine discharge high in total dissolved solids (TDS) may also be adversely affecting aquatic biota. This study assessed the toxicity of the brine discharge to selected test organisms, including two freshwater mussel species and also discusses implications for development of a TDS limit based on brine toxicity. Ceriodaphnia dubia was the most sensitive organism in acute and chronic brine toxicity tests. Bivariate analysis of the brine conductivity and C. dubia LC 50 values showed no relationship (p = .1756); however, LC 50 values were strongly related (r 2 = 0.8818) to sodium concentrations in the brine discharge. A comparison of the results from acute tests with the brine effluent and the reference toxicant sodium chloride (NaCl) demonstrated that organisms were more sensitive to NaCl. Brine discharge toxicity to C. dubia was variable during the study duration with toxicity determined to be dependent on specific TDS constituents rather than conductivity or TDS. These results suggest the need for site-specific development of TDS criteria that are based on the specific constituents in a discharge.

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The Toxicity of Malathion to Unionid Mussels: Relationship to Expected Environmental Concentrations

Cited by 16 publications

References 11 publications

Water quality guidance for protection of freshwater mussels (Unionidae) from ammonia exposure

Water quality guidance for protection of freshwater mussels (Unionidae) from ammonia exposure

Acute and chronic toxicity of glyphosate compounds to glochidia and juveniles of Lampsilis siliquoidea (unionidae)

An Evaluation of a Point Source Brine Discharge into a Riverine System and Implications for TDS Limitations

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