Determination of EC 50 toxicity data of selected heavy metals toward Heterocypris incongruens and their comparison to “direct-contact” and microbiotests

Abstract

The sensitivity of Heterocypris incongruens to selected heavy metal ions is discussed. Although the Ostracodtoxkit ® has been present on the market for a few years, data on its selectivity and sensitivity to toxicants is scarce; such data is indispensable when interpreting the results of sediment toxicity. The LC(50) and EC(50) results with the Ostracodtoxkit ® are compared with those obtained with other commercially available "direct-contact" tests (utilizing Hyalella azteca and Chironomus riparius) and microbiotests for assessing the toxicity of aqueous samples (Vibrio fischeri, Daphnia magna, and Selenastrum capricornatum). The sensitivity of H. incongruens to metal ions (Cd(2+)> >Hg(2+)> Cu(2+)>Cr(6+ )>Ni(2+) ≈ Mn(7+)>Zn(2+)>Pb(2+)>Li(1+ )> Fe(3+)) was found to be similar to that of H. azteca and of C. riparius. The Ostracodtoxkit ® has shown itself to be an efficient and reliable element of test batteries for toxicity determination.

History and sensitivity comparison of two standard whole-sediment toxicity tests with crustaceans: the amphipodHyalella aztecaand the ostracodHeterocypris incongruensmicrobiotest

“…Since the commercial availability of the Ostracodtoxkit, a substantial number of studies were carried out with the standard ostracod toxicity test in different laboratories of several countries, on a variety of sediments. Findings of several of these studies have been published in the scientific literature (Latif and Licek, 2004;Dirven-van Breemen et al, 2006;Drobniewska et al, 2007;Mankiewicz-Boczek et al, 2008;Watanabe et al, 2008;Wang et al, 2009;García-Lorenzo et al, 2009;Coccia et al, 2009;Silva et al, 2011;Kudlak et al, 2011;Nalecz-Jawecki et al, 2011;Steliga, 2011;Sheahan and Fisher, 2012;Huerta Buitrago et al, 2013;Watanabe et al, 2013;Ruiz et al, 2013;Khanal et al, 2014;Sevilla et al, 2014;Palma et al, 2014). Titles, abstracts, and posters of other studies presented at international symposia on ecotoxicology can be found on the website www.microbiotests.be (Nalecz-Jawecki et al, 2009;Gonçalves et al, 2012).…”

“…A few of these studies dealt with toxicity analysis of "pure chemicals" spiked in the reference sediment. Of particular interest in this regard is the publication by Kudlak et al (2011) which reports LC50 values for the 6-day ostracod "mortality test" and EC50's for the 6-day "growth inhibition" assay for a variety of metals (Cd, Hg, Cu, Cr, Ni, Mn, Zn, Pb, Li, Fe) spiked in reference sediment. The ostracod LC50 values were also compared with literature data on the whole-sediment test with Chironomus riparius and with "water-only" tests on H. azteca.…”

Comparison of Phytotoxicity of Selected Phosphonium Ionic Liquid

“…Biotests that are most commonly used in contemporary ecotoxicological studies include Microtox® [1-3, 10, 21, 26, 47-49]. Algaltoxkit F and Marine Algaltoxkit [27,32,44,50], Phytotoxkit [38,[50][51][52], Daphtoxkit F magma and Daphtoxkit F pulex [1,25], and Ostracodtoxkit F [42,[52][53][54].…”

The use of two microbiotests to evaluate the toxicity of sediment from Mpumalanga, South Africa

“…According to Blaise (1991), the advantages of microbiotests are that these tests are sensitive, rapid and reproducible, requiring only a small sample volume when compared to other available bioassays. The Ostracodtoxkit F using the species Heterocypris incongruens has been used previously by Latif and Licek (2004) to assess wastewater and river sediment; Torokne and Toro (2010) to assess river sediment and Kudłak et al (2011) to evaluate the toxicity of heavy metals. The Phytotoxkit test is conducted using three plant species (Lepidium sativum, Sinapis alba and Sorghum saccharatum).…”

“…Additionally, it is acknowledged that whilst a full suite of analysis was not conducted to incorporate other sources of pollution, such as hydrocarbons and pesticides, ostracods have been found to be just as sensitive as or even more sensitive to metal contamination than other freshwater crustaceans (Shuhaimi-Othman et al, 2011). The study by Kudłak et al (2011) indicated that H. incongruence has a high sensitivity to Cu and Cr. The ERP sediment caused a 73% growth inhibition in the exposed ostracods and mortalities of 27%, whilst ostracods exposed to the downstream site sediment had a mortality rate of 30% and growth inhibition of 76%.…”