A new fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) subchronic toxicity test

Abstract

The most commonly used test for evaluating the toxicity of effluents to fish and invertebrates has been the acute lethality test. However, effluents frequently are not acutely toxic, and so assessing the sublethal effects on fish and invertebrates is important. Described herein is a rapid method to estimate the chronic toxicity of effluents to the fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas). Tests are initiated using newly hatched minnow larvae and are run for 7 d under static‐renewal conditions. It is a cost‐effective, simple, short‐term toxicity test, and survival and growth are the measures of effects. Approximately 70 tests using this technique have been run with various types of effluents. Included in this article are results from representative effluent tests and also from tests conducted using Dursban, zinc and copper. The results indicate that this subchronic toxicity test gives a good estimate of chronic toxicity.

Toxicity of conventional, elemental chlorine‐free, and totally chlorine‐free kraft‐pulp bleaching effluents assessed by shortterm lethal and sublethal bioassays

“…An early‐life‐stage growth test with the fathead minnow Pimephales promelas was used according to the description given by Norberg and Mount [27]. The growth of newly hatched, but less than 24‐h‐old juveniles, was determined after a 7‐d semistatic exposure.…”

The use of sheepshead minnow (Cyprinodon variegatus) and a benthic copepod (Tisbe battagliai) in short-term tests for estimating the chronic toxicity of industrial effluents

“…Test solutions were made up directly on a % volume: volume (v/v) basis with dilution water drawn from the local seawater supply (approximately 34.5%) acclimated to test temperature (25 + 2 C). A non-aerated, static-renewal test system was used, adapted from the method described in detail by Norberg & Mount (1985). Duplicate test vessels with a 500 ml working volume were used per test concentration.…”

“…Short-term methods have been developed to estimate the chronic toxicity of effluents to aquatic fauna (Norberg & Mount, 1985;Horning & Weber, 1985). This paper describes the application of short-term (7-9day) saltwater test methods using fish larvae and benthic copepods in a site specific study.…”

An evaluation of the seven‐day toxicity test withAmericamysis bahia(formerlyMysidopsis bahia)

“…For several years, the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System has used toxicity tests in issuing permits to regulate toxic materials in effluents [14]. Tests with freshwater species were developed for the cladoceran ( Ceriodaphnia du‐bia ) [15] and the fathead minnow ( Pimephales promelas ) [16]. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Atlantic Ecology Division, in Narragansett, Rhode Island, USA, developed tests for estimating the toxicity of effluents entering marine or es‐tuarine waters by using the sheepshead minnow ( Cyprinodon variegatus ), the inland silverside ( Menidia beryllina ), the sea urchin ( Arbacia punctulata ), the red macroalga ( Champia parvula ), and the mysid ( A. bahia ) [17].…”

“…In contrast to life‐cycle water quality criteria tests, which are about 28 d long and were developed for testing individual chemicals in the laboratory, tests with complex effluents need to be just as sensitive but much shorter (7 d long) so that they can be conducted in mobile laboratories near the discharges. Some complex effluents that are not acutely toxic [16,18] may still produce sublethal responses after short exposures [19].…”