Acute Toxicity Tests with Cadmium, Lead, Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate, and Bacillus thuringiensis on a Temporary Pond Ostracod

Abstract

AbstractA complete assessment of effects of pollutants in the environment requires the use of a wide assemblage of test organisms. Crustaceans have been widely used in aquatic environments, but within this group, ostracods have been overlooked, even though they are one of the commonest groups of animals in temporary waters. Within this framework, static acute toxicity bioassays were conducted with heavy metals Cd and Pb, the surfactant SDS and spores of the bacteria Bacillus thuringiensis var. israeliensis using adult parthenogenetic females of the temporary pond ostracod Heterocypris bosniaca. Experiments were run at 20 °C and in a 12 by 12 h photoperiod. The toxicity tests results are expressed as LC50 and EC50 at 48 h and 96 h using probit analysis. The sensitivity of H. bosniaca at 48 h decreased in the following order Cd > Pb > SDS > Bti, while Pb and SDS exchanged their positions at 96 h. Comparison of the LC50 values for this species with information available in the literature reveals that it is generally more resistant than other crustaceans. (© 2012 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)