Acute and sub-lethal toxicity tests to monitor the impact of leachate on an aquatic environment

Bloor, M.C, Banks, C.J. and Krivtsov, V. (2005) Acute and sub-lethal toxicity tests to monitor the impact of leachate on an aquatic environment. Environment International, 31 (2), 269-273. (doi:10.1016/j.envint.2004.10.010).

Abstract

In this study, a specific landfill leachate (1200 mgl?1 COD and 600 mgl?1 BOD5) was used to develop a standardised short-term acute and longer-term sublethal ex-situ toxicity testing programme, in order to determine the potential ecological implications of leaching contaminants reaching the water table. Bioassays were undertaken with juvenile Gammarus pulex and Asellus aquaticus macro-invertebrates. Preliminary acute test variables included static and static renewed flow rates for 96-h, starved and fed specimens, and aerobic and oxygen depleting conditions. However, regardless of any test variable, the lethal concentration (LC50) for A. aquaticus remained at 12.3% v/v leachate in deionised water, whilst that for G. pulex was only 1%. Sublethal toxicity was judged on the basis of frequency of births and the growth rate of newly born individuals. Tests showed that even a dilution as high as 1:66- would influence the fecundity of a Gammarus population, whilst a dilution of 1:20 would affect the size of an Asellus breeding colony.

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Contributors

Author: C.J. Banks

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