The acute and chronic effects of endosulfan pulse-exposure on Jordanella floridae (Florida flagfish) over one complete life-cycle

Abstract

Endosulfan is an organochlorine pesticide, which is used worldwide and has known toxic effects on non-target organisms including fish. This research investigated the acute and chronic effects of pulse-exposed endosulfan on Florida flagfish ( Jordanella floridae). A 4-h pulse-exposure of endosulfan to larval flagfish caused a significant increase in mortality after 96 h at nominal concentrations equal to or greater than 100 μg/L. Some of the acute sub-lethal observations included hyperactivity, convulsions, and axis malformation. Seven-eight day old post-hatch flagfish were pulse-exposed for 4 h to endosulfan and then monitored over one full life-cycle for chronic effects on growth, reproduction, and survivability. There were no growth or reproductive effects of endosulfan pulse-exposure up to the highest exposure concentration of 10.8 μg/L. Thus, the life-cycle 4-h pulse-exposure no observed effect concentration (NOEC) and lowest observed effect concentration (LOEC) were 3.3 and 10.8 μg/L endosulfan, respectively, based on significantly higher larval and juvenile mortality.