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o u c 0 ~ \ wnlLLiIol1f LA 0--\ ~;{ ~5 Chronic Toxicity and Hazard Assessment of an Inorganic Mixture Simulating Irrigation Drainwater to Razorback Sucker and \Bonytail Steven J. Hamilton,1 Kevin J. Buhl,1 Fern A. Bullard,1 Edward E. Little2 'Columbia Environmental Research Center, Ecotoxicology Research Station, 31247 436th Avenue, Yankton, South Dakota 57078-6364, USA 2Columbia Environmental Research Center, 4200 New Haven Road, COlumbia, Missouri 65201-9634, USA Received 6 August 1998; revised 29 October 1998; accepted 25 November 1998 ABSTRACT: We conducted two 90 day chronic toxicity studies with two endangered fish, razorback sucker and bonytail. Swim-up larvae were exposed in a reconstituted water siml.jlating the middle Green River. The toxicant mixture simulated the environmental ratio and concentrations of inorganics reported in a Department of the Interior study for the mouth of Ashley Creek on the Green River, and was composed of nine elements. The mixture was tested at 1 X, 2X, 4X, ax, and 16X where X was the measured environmental concentration (2 ILg/L arsenic, 630 ILg/L boron, 10 ILglL copper, 5 ILg/L molybdenum, 51 ILg/L selenate, a ILg/L selenite, 33 1L9/L uranium, 2 ILg/L lJanadium, and 20 ILg/L zinc). Razorback sucker had reduced survival after 60 days exposure to the inorganic mixture at ax, whereas growth was reduced after 30 and 60 days at 2X and after 90 days at 4)(. Bonytail had reduced survival after 30 days exposure at 16X, whereas growth was reduced after 30,60, and 90 days at ax. Swimming performance of razorback sucker and bonytail were reduced after 60 and 90 days of exposure at ax. Whole-body residues of copper, selenium, and zinc increasec:l in a concentration-re- sponse manner and seemed to be regulated at 90 days of exposure at 4X and lower treatments for razorback sucker, and at ax and lower for bonytail. Adverse effects occurred In fish with whole-body residues of copper, selenium, and zinc similar to those causing similar effects in other fish species. Comparison of adverse effect concentrations with measured environmental concentrations showed a high hazard to the two endangered fish. Irrigation activities may be a contributing factor to the decline of these endangered fishes in the middle Green River. @ 2000 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Environ Toxicol 15: 48-64, 2000 Keywords: razorback sucker; bonytail; inorganic mixture; irrigation; Green River INTRODUCTION Correspondence to: Dr. Steven J. Hamilton; e-mail: steve hamil- ton@usgs.gov - the National Irrigation Water Quality Program to iden- tify other areas in the western U.S. that have water quality problems induced by irrigation drainage (Feltz et aI., 1991). These investigations focused on irrigation drainage facilities constructed by DOl, where the re- ceiving water was a national wildlife refuge (NWR), or had the potential to impact migratory birds or endan- gered species. the middle Green River basin located in Since the discovery of contaminated irrigation return ~aters in the San Joaquin Valley of central California 10 1982, the Department of the Interior (DOl) initiated @ 2000 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. eee 1520-4081/00/010048-17 48