Effects of river sediment elutriates on Daphnia magna

Abstract

Laboratory sediment bioassays, both acute and chronic, were conducted on sediment elutriates from the River Eurajoki, SW Finland . The river is under impacts of industrial discharges, community effluents and agricultural run-offs . The water flea Daphnia magna Straus was used as a test organism . None of the elutriates tested were acutely toxic . In a long-term bioassay sediment elutriates had effects on survival, body growth and reproduction . Elutriates prepared from samples of a downstream station were characterized by low survival, small body size, reduced total offspring production, and delayed start of reproduction . 207