Toxicity of endosulfan to native and introduced fish in Australia

Abstract

Semistatic bioassays of endosulfan with native and introduced Australian fish indicated that they are sensitive to this insecticide at low concentrations. The introduced European carp (Cyprinus carpio) was the most sensitive species, with a measured 96‐h LC50 of 0.1 μg/L, whereas the native eastern rainbow fish (Melanotaenia duboulayi) and silver perch (Bidyanus bidyanus) were the least sensitive, with measured 96‐h LC50 values of 2.4μg/L. The measured 96‐h LC50 values of endosulfan for bony bream (Nematolosa erebi), golden perch (Macquaria ambigua), and rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) were 0.2, 0.5, and 1.6 μ/L, respectively. Toxicities of endosulfan in Sydney mains water and Mehi River water were similar when rainbow fish, golden perch, and silver perch were used as test animals. The initial measured concentration was about 42% of the nominal concentration, whereas final measured concentration after 24 h in semistatic tests declined to 5.6% of the nominal concentration. The toxicity of endosulfan was similar in Australian native and introduced fish and in overseas fish, but varied markedly with test method. The 96‐h LC50 values for one species, the rainbow fish, varied from 0.5μg/L when reported as measured concentrations in a flow‐through test to 11.4 μg/L as nominal values in a static test. These differences span much of the variation found in 96‐h LC50 values for all fish species described in the world literature.

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

“…However, the studies that have addressed this have all suffered from only comparing data for a limited number of chemicals or a limited number of species (e.g., Johnston et al, 1990;Sunderam et al, 1992;Davies et al, 1994;Hickey and Martin, 1995;Markich and Camilleri, 1997;Mulhall, 1997;Rose et al, 1998;Hickey, 2000;Hose and Van den Brink, 2004;Phyu, 2004;Westbury et al, 2004) and their conclusions were contradictory. Thus, a general conclusion could not be reached.…”

Exposure to Thiodan&REG results in lipofuscin accumulation in hepatocytes of the freshwater catfish Tandanus tandanus

“…The exposure concentrations were chosen on the basis of concentrations reported in natural water bodies in cotton-growing areas in Australia (e.g. Gwydir River and farm dams in New South Wales), existing information on the LC 50 range for other fish species (0.1 to 5.0 µg l -1 ) under static conditions (Sunderam et al 1992), the size of the fish tested, and on previous experiments (Nowak 1996). After 24 h, the flow-through system was reactivated, the water being replaced at the rate of complete renewal of the tank volume in each tank each day until the end of the experiment.…”

“…It is one of the most toxic chemicals to fish, with a lethal concentration (LC 50 ) as low as 0.014 µg l -1 reported for the harlequin fish Rasbora heteromorpha (48 h LC 50 in a flow-through system: Alabaster 1969). For freshwater fish in Australian waters, the 96 h LC 50 ranges from 0.1 µg l -1 for the European carp Cyprinus carpio to 5.0 µg l -1 for the eastern rainbow fish Melanotaenia duboulayi (Sunderam et al 1992).…”

Surfactants enhanced recovery of endosulfan from contaminated soils

“…It is one of the most commonly detected pesticides in ground and surface waters of India. Technical grade endosulfan comprises of two stereo isomers, α and β-endosulfan in a ratio of 7:3, low soluble in water and both of the isomers are extremely toxic to fish and aquatic organisms (Sunderam et al, 1992). Endosulfan affects the central nervous system, kidney, liver, blood chemistry and parathyroid gland and has reproductive tetragenic and mutagenic effects (Paul and Balasubramaniam, 1997).…”