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Manganese toxicity to tropical freshwater species in low hardness water
Author(s) -
Harford Andrew J.,
Mooney Thomas J.,
Trenfield Melanie A.,
van Dam Rick A.
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
environmental toxicology and chemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.1
H-Index - 171
eISSN - 1552-8618
pISSN - 0730-7268
DOI - 10.1002/etc.3135
Subject(s) - toxicity , environmental chemistry , soft water , hyalella azteca , acute toxicity , hard water , chemistry , toxicology , biology , ecology , amphipoda , crustacean , organic chemistry
Elevated manganese (Mn) is a common contaminant issue for mine water discharges, and previous studies have reported that its toxicity is ameliorated by H + , Ca 2+ , and Mg 2+ ions. In the present study, the toxicity of Mn was assessed in a high risk scenario, that is, the slightly acidic, soft waters of Magela Creek, Kakadu National Park, Northern Territory, Australia. Toxicity estimates were derived for 6 tropical freshwater species ( Chlorella sp., Lemna aequinoctialis , Amerianna cumingi , Moinodaphnia macleayi , Hydra viridissima , and Mogurnda mogurnda ). Low effect chronic inhibition concentration (IC10) and acute lethal concentration (LC05) values ranged between 140 μg L –1 and 80 000 μg L –1 , with 3 of the species tested ( M. macleayi , A. cumingi , and H. viridissima ) being more sensitive to Mn than all but 1 species in the international literature ( Hyalella azteca ). A loss of Mn was observed on the final day for 2 of the H. viridissima toxicity tests, which may be a result of the complex speciation of Mn and biological oxidation. International data from toxicity tests conducted in natural water with a similar physicochemistry to Magela Creek water were combined with the present study's data to increase the sample size to produce a more reliable species sensitivity distribution. A 99% protection guideline value of 73 μg L –1 (33−466 μg L –1 ) was derived; the low value of this guideline value reflects the higher toxicity of Mn in slightly acidic soft waters. Environ Toxicol Chem 2015;34:2856–2863. © 2015 Commonwealth of Australia. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of SETAC.