Ontwikkeling van een acute toxiciteitstoets met de grondwater kreeftachtige Parastenocaris germanica

Abstract

This report describes an acute toxicity test with the groundwater copepod Parastenocaris germanica which has been developed within the framework of the Netherlands Integrated Soil Research Program. Test animals originate from a field population and can be kept vital in the laboratory during 1 to 2 months. Toxic effects on both survival and mobility are studied during 96 hours in small volume and closed test vials. Several metals (aluminium, cadmium and zinc), pesticides (aldicarb, chloropyrifos and pentachlorophenol) and volatile compounds (tri- and tetrachloroethene) have been used as toxicants during test development. Results of the experiments are discussed regarding application, reproducibility, and standardization of the test. The ecological significance of an acute toxicity test is limited. However, the development of ecologically more relevant chronic tests with groundwater animals appears unfeasible for the moment. Nevertheless the availability of a productive field population of P. germanica and a standardised method enables us now to generate toxicity data for a groundwater adapted organism. At this way groundwater specific toxicity data can be obtained which can serve as a basis too for setting standards for groundwater on ecotoxicological grounds.