Comparative acute toxicity to aquatic organisms of components of coal-derived synthetic fuels. [Selenastrum capricornutum; Nitzchia palea; Physa gyrina, Daphnia magna; Chironomus tentans; Gammarus minus; Pimephales promelas; Salmo gairdneri; Micropterus salmoides]

Journal Article · Sun Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1984 · Trans. Am. Fish. Soc.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1577/1548-8659(1984)113<74:CATTAO>2.0.CO;2· OSTI ID:6627311

Millemann, R E; Birge, W J; Black, J A; Cushman, R M; Daniels, K L; Franco, P J; Giddings, J M; McCarthy, J F; Stewart, A J

In acute toxicity tests, green algae Selenaastrum capricornutum, diatoms Nitzschia palea, adult snails Physa gyrina, juvenile cladocerans Daphnia magna, larval midges Chironomus tentans, adult amphipods Gammarus minus, juvenile fathead minnows Pimephales promelas, and embryo-larva stages of rainbow trout Salmo gairdneri and largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides were exposed for 4 hours (algae), 48 hours (arthropods and snails), 96 hours (fathead minnows), 7 days (large-mouth bass), and 27 days (rainbow trout) to two phenols (phenol and ..beta..-naphthol), two azaarenes (quinoline and acridine), and two polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (naphthalene and phenanthrene) present in coal-derived oils. Median lethal or median effective concentrations (LC50s or EC50s) ranged from 0.03 mg/liter for phenanthrene and rainbow trout to 286.54 mg/liter for phenol and the green alga. The rainbow trout embryo-larva assay was the most sensitive of the test systems to all the chemicals except quinoline. For this last compound, systems with juvenile fathead minnows and largemouth bass embryos were the most sensitive. As test systems, fish embryos and larvae were the most sensitive, juvenile fathead minnows and arthropods had intermediate sensitivity, and algae and snails were the most resistant to the test compounds under the test conditions. Within each chemical class (phenols, azaarenes, and polycylcic aromatic hydrocarbons), toxicity increased with increased ring number except for the reversed relationship with the azaarenes and fathead minnows. Thus, ..beta..-naphthol (two rings) was 2 to 45 times more toxic than phenol (one ring); acridine (three rings) was 7 to 27 times more toxic than quinoline (two rings); and phenanthrene (three rings) was 3 to 9 times more toxic than naphthalene (two rings). 50 references.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab., TN
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-26
• OSTI ID: 6627311
• Journal Information: Trans. Am. Fish. Soc.; (United States), Vol. 113:1
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
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SENSITIVITY
ARTHROPODS
AZAARENES
TOXICITY
DIATOMS
FISHES
INSECTS
NAPHTHOLS
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STRUCTURE-ACTIVITY RELATIONSHIPS
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ENERGY SOURCES
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HETEROCYCLIC COMPOUNDS
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INVERTEBRATES
MATERIALS
MOLLUSCS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
PHENOLS
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