Laserfiche WebLink
<br />Test Design <br />Guidelines for conducting the acute biomonitoring tests are contained in <br />Peltier and 'Neber (1985). In summary, quadruplicate 30 ml plastic disposable <br />beakers were used at each concentration far the daphnid tests. Each vessel <br />contained 20 ml of exposure medium in which five neonates/young were placed, <br />for a total of 20 organisms per concentration. The exposure medium was <br />changed in each container after 24 hours and the test was terminated after 48 <br />hours. Surviving organisms were counted daily and measurements of <br />temperature, pH, and dissolved oxygen recorded. Total alkalinity, hardness, <br />conductivity, total residual chlorine, and ammonia were measured in the effluent <br />and control at the start of the test. <br />The fathead minnow tests were conducted in 260 ml plastic disposable cups <br />containing 200 ml of the exposure medium. Five organisms in each of four <br />replicates were used at each concentration. The test was terminated after 96 <br />hours with the same procedures being followed as above. <br />Deviations from Established Procedures <br />Within 24 hours after starting the test, dissolved oxygen concentrations in the <br />10090 effluent concentration dropped to 2.7 mg/I which is below a 409a saturation <br />level. To assess the effects of the dissolved oxygen levels compared to toxicant <br />concentrations, a second test was begun on August 15 with all test <br />concentrations being aerated. <br />RESULTS <br />A significant acute toxicity was noted to both the daphnids and the fathead <br />minnows in the effluent sample. In the D. magna test, survival in the daphnid <br />test ranged from 0-100% in the various exposure concentrations. The 1009'0, <br />75%, and 50% concentrations had zero survivors, respectively. This led to an <br />LC50 for this effluent of 35.4%. The Ceriodaphnia test produced a similar result <br />with an LC50 of 33.89'° and no survivors in the 100, 75, and 50% exposures. <br />In the August 14 fathead minnow test, survival ranged from 09a in the full <br />strength effluent to 100% at concentrations of 5090 or less. Control survival was <br />100%. This produced an LC50 of 71.39x. The August 15 sample had a greater <br />mortality overall which resulted in an LC50 of 36.99'°. This indicates that the low <br />oxygen levels in the August 14 test did not significantly increase toxicity in that <br />test. <br />DISCUSSION <br />The toxicity was generally high overall and was probably due to a high <br />conductivity which ranged over 19,000 micromhos per cm. This would be <br />sufficiently high to affect both the daphnids and the fathead minnows. <br />