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Effects of chronic exposure to coal‐derived oil on freshwater ecosystems: I. Microcosms
Author(s) -
Franco P. J.,
Giddings J. M.,
Herbes S. E.,
Hook L. A.,
Newbold J. D.,
Roy W. K.,
Southworth G. R.,
Stewart A. J.
Publication year - 1984
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.5620030309
Subject(s) - microcosm , daphnia magna , zooplankton , environmental chemistry , cladocera , respiration , aquatic ecosystem , ecosystem , macrophyte , ecotoxicology , chemistry , limnetic zone , bioassay , ecology , daphnia , freshwater ecosystem , zoology , biology , toxicity , botany , organic chemistry , littoral zone
Sixteen 67‐liter freshwater microcosms were treated for 8 weeks with an unrefined coal‐oil in amounts ranging from 0.03 to 7 ml per week. Phenols make up 95% of the water‐soluble compounds in this oil, and dissolved phenol concentrations averaged <0.01 mg L −1 in the lowest dose and 10 mg L −1 in the highest. The microcosms were severely damaged at the highest treatment level; macrophytes, zooplankton and insects were eliminated, and the ecosystems became anaerobic. Microcosms did not recover to pretreatment conditions within 5 months. At lower dosages there were temporary effects on ecosystem metabolism, water chemistry and community structure. The most sensitive indices—community respiration, production/respiration ratio, pH and cladoceran zooplankton numbers—were affected at phenol concentrations below the lowest observable effect concentration of a chronic Daphnia magna bioassay.
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