SYMPOSIA PAPER Published: 01 January 1985
STP36289S

Aquatic Hazard Evaluation Principles Applied to the Development of Water Quality Criteria

Source

The methodology to derive a national water quality criterion requires that the acute toxicity data base contain at least eight species from eight families. The thesis investigated here is that for many chemicals, fewer species acute toxicity tests are adequate for deriving criteria and for screening chemicals to determine whether a criterion is necessary. This is especially true when the exposure concentration is expected or known to be several orders of magnitude below the acute effect concentration.

An 82 chemical acute toxicity data base with an average of 9.5 species acute toxicity tests per chemical was reviewed for the relationship between the most sensitive species LC50 value and LC50 values for four of the most commonly tested species: Daphnia, fathead minnow, bluegill, and rainbow trout. It was concluded that for 90% and 98% of the 82 chemicals reviewed, the Daphnia and fathead minnow acute data were within one and two orders of magnitude, respectively, of the most sensitive species. Our ability to predict the LC50 for the sensitive species is improved if three species are used; 98% of the LC50s are included with Daphnia, fathead minnow, and bluegill and 93% with algae, Daphnia, and fathead minnow. Therefore it was concluded that for many chemicals, acute tests with only two or three species are enough to determine that a water quality criterion is not needed for the chemical.

Author Information

Kimerle, RA
Monsanto Company, St. Louis, Mo
Werner, AF
Monsanto Company, St. Louis, Mo
Adams, WJ
Monsanto Company, St. Louis, Mo
Price: $25.00
Contact Sales
Related
Reprints and Permissions
Reprints and copyright permissions can be requested through the
Copyright Clearance Center
Details
Developed by Committee: E47
Pages: 538–547
DOI: 10.1520/STP36289S
ISBN-EB: 978-0-8031-4922-9
ISBN-13: 978-0-8031-0410-5