The effects of temperature upon the toxicity of chemicals to aquatic organisms

Abstract

Although rather extensive bibliographies give the impression that there is a vast amount of literature on the effects of temperature on aquatic organisms, when one tries to apply this information to specific interactions, such as the effects of temperature changes on chemical toxicity to aquatic organisms, often very little of the evidence is applicable. Although the most useful information on this relationship has been acquired in laboratory situations even this body of literature (which forms the bulk of this paper) is not adequate to make any scientifically justifiable generalizations. Field data on this relationship is almost non-existent and it is unlikely that much will become available unless specific studies are initiated which are directed toward this end . This is equally true of the laboratory information although it seems more likely that this will be generated as a spinoff from other research activities .In order to develop water quality management programs for steam-electric power plants one should understand the relationship between temperature and the response of aquatic organisms to toxic chemicals. Not only do some power plants discharge chlorine and other similar materials as well as heated waste water but those that discharge the latter only may be located near discharges of toxic chemicals . Since temperature and chemical stress to aquatic organisms are most commonly discussed independently we felt a paper covering this relationship would be useful .

Interactive effects of metal pollution and temperature on metabolism in aquatic ectotherms: implications of global climate change

“…To date, a few reviews describe the effects of temperature on endpoints such as toxicity (especially mortality), uptake and accumulation of pollutants (Cairns et al 1975, McLusky et al 1986, Heugens et al 2002, Gordon 2005, Rainbow 2007). However, they do not systematically deal with the physiological background of interactions between temperature and pollutants, partially, due to the relative dearth of physiological studies on the combined effects of pollutants and temperature, and partially due to the fact that these reviews look at the broad variety of organic and inorganic pollutants that differ greatly in their mechanisms of action.…”

“…An observation that environmental temperature can affect tolerance to trace metals in aquatic ectotherms is one of the earliest findings in ecological toxicology (Cairns et al 1975 and references therein). In principle, there are several potential types of temperature-toxicity relationships described for different pollutants and toxins ( Fig.…”

“…Typically, temperature-toxicity relationships for metals follow the Type I and II curves on Fig. 1, so that elevated temperatures tend to enhance toxic effects of metals on organisms (Cairns et al 1975, McLusky et al 1986, Heugens et al 2002, Gordon 2005. Indeed, published studies (reviewed in Cairns et al 1975, McLusky et al 1986, Heugens et al 2002 Table 1 in the present paper) indicate that an increase in environmental temperature results in elevated mortality rates in metal-exposed ectotherms in 80% of the cases (N = 118) (Fig.…”

“…Type I and II responses are the most typical for trace metals when toxicity increases with increasing temperature (see Section 2 for details). Type III response (decreasing toxicity with increasing temperature) has been described for some organic pollutants such as DDT (Cairns et al 1975), but rarely for metals. Type IV (optimum response) is often found in mammals when pollutant or drug toxicity is minimal in the thermoneutral zone (Weihe 1973) and may be expected in stenothermal aquatic ectotherms with narrow thermal tolerance windows; however, no data exist for such organisms so far.…”

The Toxicity of Aluminium Salts to Lecane Inermis Rotifers: Are Chemical and Biological Methods Used to Overcome Activated Sludge Bulking Mutually Exclusive?

“…From a theoretical perspective, chemical toxicity increases with temperature in aquatic environments [22]. However, detoxifi cation mechanisms and excretory processes increase with temperature, and these may serve to cancel out the temperature effect.…”