Geology topics

John M. Besser

Publications and source records attributed to John M. Besser.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

USGS2025

Effects of dietary selenium on the amphipod Hyalella azteca and the midge Chironomus dilutus

Chronic selenium (Se) water quality criteria are based primarily on dietary organoselenium exposure and subsequent reproductive effects in fish. Available chronic Se toxicity data suggests that invertebrates are less sensitive than fish, but chronic invertebrate studies are limited. We evaluated yeast-based diets for chronic toxicity studies with Hyalella azteca and Chironomus dilutus. Growth and survival were similar among C. dilutus fed a yeast-only diet, a mixture of yeast and fish flake food, and a mixture of yeast and diatoms. Survival and growth of H. azteca were best in the yeast + diatom diet, so this diet was used for subsequent tests. In rangefinder tests, H. azteca 28-day survival, growth, and biomass, and C. dilutus 11-day survival were all significantly reduced at a dietary Se concentration of 49 µg/g dry weight, whereas C. dilutus growth and biomass were only affected at 200 µg/g dry weight Se. H. azteca had similar sensitivity to dietary Se in a 28–42-day chronic test—survival, growth, and biomass were significantly reduced at 44.5 µg/g dry weight Se. Dietary selenium reduced H. azteca reproduction by 75%–100% relative to Controls, but differences were not significant. Tissue Se EC10s were lower for H. azteca (9.0–23 µg/g dry weight) than for C. dilutus (11–56 µg/g dry weight). However, model evaluations suggest that the C. dilutus 11-day survival and H. azteca 42-day EC10s were less reliable than other endpoints. When tissue EC10s were converted to equivalent Se concentrations in fish tissue with a food web model, H. azteca (18 µg/g dry weight) and C . dilutus (68 µg/g dry weight) ranked 6th and 12th of 13 freshwater genera, respectively. Overall, these results suggest that the current U.S. Environmental Protection Agency tissue-based Se water quality criteria would be protective for fish and invertebrates and could be used for management of fishless waters.

Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry↗

USGS2025

Evaluation of the effects of sediments contaminated by industrial discharges to a unionid mussel (Fatmucket, Lampsilis siliquoidea) and a common test benthic organism (Amphipod, Hyalella azteca)

Freshwater mussels are among the most sensitive species to a variety of chemicals in water exposures. However, few studies have been conducted to evaluate the effect of toxicants in sediments on mussels. Industrial discharges containing polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and metals entered the Kanawha River surrounding Blaine Island, South Charleston, West Virginia, USA; a river which supports eight federally endangered mussel species. We collected sediment samples from a highly contaminated site, a nearby upstream site, and a further upstream reference site to assess the effects of contaminated sediment on the survival and growth of a unionid mussel (fatmucket, Lampsilis siliquoidea ) and a commonly tested benthic organism (amphipod, Hyalella azteca ) using standard 28-d sediment toxicity tests. We also determined mussel toxicity in a serial dilution of the highly contaminated sediment. Results showed that concentrations of PAHs, VOCs, and metals in the contaminated sediment were consistently greater than the other two sites. The mean survival of mussels and amphipods in the reference sediment was 100% and 95%, respectively, whereas the mean survival of both test species in the contaminated sediment was 0%. In the sediment dilution study, mean survival and biomass of mussels in the ≥6.25% treatment were significantly reduced relative to the control, with a 25% inhibition concentration of 4.1% for survival and 3.6% for biomass. We used sediment screening values and equilibrium partitioning sediment benchmarks to determine that nickel, mercury, and PAH mixture were likely responsible for the toxicity observed to mussels and amphipods and will provide critical data to identify and mitigate the sources of the mixture in contaminated sediment.

West Virginia↗

USGS2023

Responses of juvenile mussels to metals in sediment and water of the Tri-State Mining District

The U.S. Geological Survey and collaborators from EcoAnalysts, Inc., completed field and laboratory studies during 2016–19 to evaluate the toxicity of metals to freshwater mussels in streams draining the Tri-State Mining District. This project consisted of (1) sampling and analysis of metals in water and sediment, (2) surveys of mussel assemblages at sites with suitable mussel habitat, (3) toxicity tests with juvenile mussels exposed to zinc or to a mixture of metals (zinc, lead, and cadmium) in water, and (4) toxicity tests to evaluate the contributions of metals in sediment and metals in overlying water to toxic effects on mussels. Field sampling at sites in the Spring River and Neosho River and their tributaries demonstrated wide ranges of metal contamination in water and sediment. Zinc was the predominant toxic metal in water, and concentrations of lead and cadmium were much lower. Mussel areal density and species richness were greater at reference sites with low sediment metal concentrations (for example, zinc, 29–141 micrograms per gram) than at test sites that had higher concentrations of sediment zinc (416–3,420 micrograms per gram) as a result of effects of upstream mining activity. Juvenile mussels were highly sensitive to zinc in water in 12-week toxicity tests compared to previous water-only tests, and adding low levels of waterborne lead and cadmium typical of their occurrence in Tri-State Mining District streams produced greater toxicity. Thresholds for mussel toxicity were at or less than waterborne metal concentrations detected in Tri-State Mining District streams, and sites with waterborne metal concentrations exceeding thresholds had decreased mussel density and decreased mussel species richness. The 12-week toxicity tests with juvenile mussels in Tri-State Mining District sediments also demonstrated negative mussel responses with metal exposure. Thresholds for reductions in survival, growth, or biomass were at sediment metal concentrations less than thresholds reported for previous 4-week tests. We documented strong associations between reduced survival in laboratory tests and reduced species richness in community surveys. Attempts to estimate combined toxicity thresholds for metals in sediment and overlying water were not successful. These inconclusive results may be attributable to several factors, including (1) unexpected losses of waterborne metals from solution, (2) differences in sensitivity of different age/size classes of juvenile mussels, (3) disruption of sediment-water equilibria and changes in metal bioavailability, and (4) behavioral or physiological responses allowing juvenile mussels to temporarily reduce or avoid metal exposure. We also observed differences in metal toxicity thresholds between sediment toxicity tests started with different ages/sizes of test organisms. A followup study that combined exposure to Tri-State Mining District sediments with exposures to multiple levels of waterborne metals demonstrated toxic effects of sediments with low metal concentrations; however, some treatments also indicated unexpected reversals of concentration-response trends and reduced toxicity in treatments that had high metal concentrations in overlying water. These unusual responses may reflect development of physiological tolerance to metal toxicity by induction of metal-binding proteins (for example, metallothionein) in response to high metal levels in water. Results of laboratory and field studies indicated strong associations between metal exposure in Tri-State Mining District streams and toxic effects on juvenile freshwater mussels. Mussel community characteristics corresponded to differences in metal concentrations in sediment and water among Tri-State Mining District sampling sites. Responses of juvenile mussels in 12-week water and sediment exposures were strongly correlated with the status of mussel assemblages in Tri-State Mining District streams. The combined results support the hypothesis that exposure to metals from historical mining activities adversely affects freshwater mussel communities in the Spring River/Neosho River drainage.

Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma↗

USGS2023

Guide for benthic invertebrate studies in support of Natural Resource Damage Assessment and Restoration

This guide is intended to assist with characterizing injury to freshwater benthic macroinvertebrates (BMIs) in Natural Resource Damage Assessment and Restoration (NRDAR) cases. The contents are narrowly focused on insects, crustaceans, snails, and other invertebrate fauna that are typically considered part of BMI communities and are not intended to address studies of injury to larger benthic taxa such as freshwater mussels, crayfish, or benthic fishes or amphibians. Although some percentage of the community functions as predators, BMIs are predominantly primary consumers (for example, scrapers, shredders, and filterer/gatherer feeding groups) that play an essential role in converting carbon and nitrogen from plant tissues into animal biomass for higher-order consumers, especially in flowing waters. Aquatic contaminants can disrupt the quantity and quality of energy transferred (ecosystem function) by reducing invertebrate biomass and diversity. Additionally, the accumulation of toxic residues in invertebrate tissues may be a source of exposure leading to adverse effects in higher trophic levels. The goal of NRDAR BMI assessments is to establish direct linkages of contaminant exposure to injuries reflected by changes in community structure (for example, reduced density and taxa richness) or by effects at the individual population level (for example, survival, growth, and reproduction). BMIs are infrequently the U.S. Department of Interior (DOI)-managed resource in a NRDAR case, with managed resources more frequently including migratory birds, fish, or other insectivorous vertebrates. Therefore, it is critical to have clearly defined objectives for evaluating BMIs and an understanding of how invertebrate data relate to the quantification of injuries to the DOI-managed resource. This guide is intended to assist decisions on whether or not to proceed with BMI studies, use of existing information and data for screening purposes, and what types of studies can support a BMI-injury determination. This document is intended to provide general considerations and best practices for assessing BMIs. Relevant guidance and references are listed throughout the report as sources for specific methods and analysis.

Open-File Report↗

USGS2023

An assessment of the relation between metal contaminated sediment and freshwater mussel populations in the Big River, Missouri

The Big River in southeast Missouri drains the largest historical lead mining area in the United States. Ongoing releases of metal contaminated sediments into this river are well documented and are suspected of suppressing freshwater mussel populations. We characterized the spatial extent of metal contaminated sediments and evaluated its relationship with mussel populations in the Big River. Mussels and sediments were collected at 34 sites with potential metal effects and 3 reference sites. Analysis of sediment samples showed that lead (Pb) and zinc (Zn) concentrations were 1.5 to 65 times greater than background concentrations in the reach extending 168 km downstream from Pb mining releases. Mussel abundance decreased acutely downstream from these releases where sediment Pb concentrations were highest and increased gradually as Pb sediment concentrations attenuated downstream. We compared current species richness with historical survey data from three reference rivers with similar physical habitat characteristics and human effects, but without Pb-contaminated sediment. Big River species richness was on average about one-half that expected based on reference stream populations and was 70–75 % lower in reaches with high median Pb concentrations. Sediment Zn and cadmium, and particularly Pb, had significant negative correlations with species richness and abundance. The association of sediment Pb concentrations with mussel community metrics in otherwise high-quality habitat indicates that Pb toxicity is likely responsible for depressed mussel populations observed within the Big River. We used concentration-response regressions of mussel density verses sediment Pb to determine that the Big River mussel community is adversely affected when sediment Pb concentrations are above 166 ppm, the concentration associated with 50 % decreases in mussel density. Based on this assessment of metals concentrations sediment and mussel fauna, our findings indicate that sediment in approximately 140 km of the Big River with suitable habitat has a toxic effect to mussels.

Missouri↗

USGS2021

Modeling the bioavailability of nickel and zinc to Ceriodaphnia dubia and Neocloeon triangulifer in toxicity tests with Natural Waters

We studied biotic ligand model (BLM) predictions of toxicity of nickel (Ni) and zinc (Zn) in natural waters from Illinois and Minnesota USA which had combinations of pH, hardness, and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) more extreme than 99.7% of waters in a nationwide database. We conducted 7-d chronic tests with Ceriodaphnia dubia, and 96-hr acute test and 14-d chronic tests with Neocloeon triangulifer, and estimated LC50s and EC20s for both species. Toxicity of Ni and Zn to both species differed among test waters by factors from 8 (Zn tests with C. dubia ) to 35 (Zn tests with N. triangulifer ). For both species and metals, tests with Minnesota waters (low pH and hardness, high DOC) showed lower toxicity than Illinois waters (high pH, high hardness, low DOC). Recalibration of the Ni BLM to be more responsive to pH-related changes improved predictions of Ni toxicity, especially for C. dubia . We compared several input data scenarios for the Zn BLM, which generally had minor effects on Model Performance Scores (MPS). A scenario that included inputs of modeled dissolved inorganic carbon and measured Al and Fe(III) produced highest MPS values for tests with both C. dubia and N. triangulifer . Overall, the BLM framework successfully modeled variation in toxicity for both Zn and Ni across wide ranges of water chemistry in tests with both standard and novel test organisms.

Illinois, Minnesota↗

USGS2020

Sensitivity of warm water fishes and rainbow trout to selected contaminants

Guidelines for developing water quality standards allow U.S. states to exclude toxicity data for the family Salmonidae (trout and salmon) when deriving guidelines for warm-water habitats. This practice reflects the belief that standards based on salmonid data may be overprotective of toxic effects on other fish taxa. In acute tests with six chemicals and eight fish species, the salmonid, Rainbow Trout ( Oncorhynchus mykiss ), was the most sensitive species tested with copper, zinc, and sulfate, but warm-water species were most sensitive to nickel, chloride, and ammonia. Overall, warm-water fishes, including sculpins (Cottidae) and sturgeons (Acipenseridae), were about as sensitive as salmonids in acute tests and in limited chronic testing with Lake Sturgeon ( Acipenser fulvescens ) and Mottled Sculpin ( Cottus bairdi ). In rankings of published acute values, invertebrate taxa were most sensitive for all six chemicals tested and there was no trend for greater sensitivity of salmonids compared to warm-water fish.

Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxico↗

USGS2020

Inﬂuence of remediation on sediment toxicity within the Grand Calumet River, Indiana, USA

The Grand Calumet River (GCR), located in northern Indiana, is contaminated due to a wide range of historical industrial activities. This study was conducted to determine the influence of sediment remediation within the GCR on concentrations of chemical contaminants and toxicity to sediment-dwelling organisms. Between 2005 and 2016, sediments with high concentrations of metals and toxic organic compounds were remediated through a combination of removal, addition of activated carbon and organoclay amendments, and capping with sand or relatively uncontaminated sediment. Short-term and long-term sediment toxicity tests with the amphipod Hyalella azteca, the midge Chironomus dilutus, and the mussel Lampsilis siliquoidea were conducted with samples collected in 2013, 2015, and 2017, from 29 sites, including both remediated and non-remediated sites. Sediment chemistry and toxicity data for three groups of remediated sites (US Steel, West Branch, and East Branch) were compared to samples from contaminated but unremediated sites and to relatively uncontaminated reference sites. In general, remediated sediments had lower levels of PAHs, PCBs and metals, although sediments from the US Steel area still had elevated levels of PAH, PCB and chromium. Sediments from the three remediated sites and from reference sites showed significantly reduced toxic effects in short-term sediment bioassays, compared to unremediated sites. Variation in the long-term success of remediation may reflect site-specific factors such as the type of remediation and the potential for recontamination from uncontrolled sources.

Indiana↗

USGS2020

Assessment of burrowing behavior of freshwater juvenile mussels in sediment

Standard laboratory sediment toxicity methods have been adapted for conducting toxicity tests with juvenile freshwater mussels. However, studies looking at juvenile mussel burrowing behavior at the water-sediment interface are limited. Juvenile mussels burrow in sediment for the first 0 to 4 yr of life but also may inhabit the sediment-water interface. The objective of this study was to evaluate burrowing behavior of various species and ages of juvenile freshwater mussels in three control sediments: West Bearskin Lake, Spring River, and coarse commercial sand. Species tested included (1) Fatmucket ( Lampsilis siliquoidea ), (2) Notched Rainbow ( Villosa constricta ), (3) Washboard ( Megalonaias nervosa ), (4) Rainbow ( Villosa iris) , (5) Arkansas Fatmucket ( Lampsilis powellii ), and (6) Oregon Floater ( Anodonta oregonensis ). Greater than 95% of the mussels burrowed into test sediment within 15 min. Across species, life stage, and substrate type, most mussels were recovered from the upper layers of sediment (91% at a sediment depth of 3.4 mm or less), and only 2% of the mussels were recovered at a depth >5.1 mm. No mussels were recovered from a depth >6.8 mm. There was no difference in mussel burrowing depth at 4 h versus 24 h across species, age, and sediment type. Two ages of Fatmucket burrowed to a significantly greater depth in the West Bearskin Lake sediment compared to the Spring River sediment or Coarse Sand. However, there was no significant difference in mean depth across sediment type with the other five species of mussels tested. Based on species and age of mussels tested, juvenile mussels up to an age of at least 20 wk and a length of at least 5 mm readily burrow into sediment and likely would be exposed to contaminants in whole sediment and associated pore water throughout a laboratory sediment toxicity test.

Freshwater Mollusk Biology and Conservation↗

USGS2019

Influence of dissolved organic carbon on the acute toxicity of copper and zinc to White Sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus) and a Cladoceran (Ceriodaphnia dubia)

We conducted acute lethality tests with white sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus) and Ceriodaphnia dubia exposed to copper and zinc at dissolved organic carbon concentrations ranging from 0.5 to 5.5 mg/L. Dissolved organic carbon had minimal effects on zinc toxicity but did have a protective effect on acute copper toxicity, which was equal to that predicted by the copper biotic ligand model (BLM). The BLM‐adjusted copper median effect concentrations for A. transmontanus ranged from 2.4 to 8.2 mg/L.

Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry↗

USGS2019

Toxicity of aluminum to Ceriodaphnia dubia in low-hardness waters as affected by natural dissolved organic matter

We conducted a series of 7‐d toxicity tests with Ceriodaphnia dubia in dilutions of low‐hardness natural waters, which contained dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations up to 10 mg/L. Stream waters were mixed with well water to achieve 2 target hardness levels (20 and 35 mg/L) and 4 DOC concentrations. Tests with aluminum (Al)‐spiked waters were conducted in a controlled CO 2 atmosphere to maintain the pH at a range of 6.0 to 6.5. The results were used to estimate effect concentrations for survival and reproduction, expressed as total (unfiltered) Al concentrations. There were small differences in total‐Al thresholds between waters with 20 and 35 mg/L hardness, but effect concentrations for C. dubia survival (median lethal concentrations) and reproduction (effect concentrations, 20%) increased log‐linearly with increasing DOC concentrations in the range, 0.3 to 6 mg/L. Slopes of these regressions were similar to slopes from data used to revise the US Environmental Protection Agency water quality criterion for Al, but toxic effects in the present study occurred at total‐Al concentrations 8‐ to 10‐fold greater than toxicity values used for criteria development. This difference probably reflects the long equilibration (aging) times of Al test waters used in the present study (up to 192 h) compared with short (3‐h) equilibration times in other studies used for criteria development. These results confirm the importance of DOC as a control on Al toxicity in low‐hardness waters, but they also demonstrate that total‐Al concentrations are not predictive of Al toxicity, except under defined water quality (pH, hardness, DOC) and exposure conditions (e.g., aging of test waters).

Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry↗

USGS2018

Characterizing toxicity of metal‐contaminated sediments from the Upper Columbia River, Washington, USA, to benthic invertebrates

Sediments from the Upper Columbia River, Washington, USA, are contaminated with metals from smelting operations. We conducted short‐term and long‐term tests with the midge Chironomus dilutus and the amphipod Hyalella azteca and short‐term tests with the freshwater mussel Lampsilis siliquoidea with 54 sediments from the Upper Columbia River to characterize thresholds for toxicity of metals to benthic invertebrates. Test sediments were screened for toxicity by comparisons with low‐metal reference sediments. Toxic effects on amphipods occurred primarily in sediments from the upstream (riverine) reach, and toxic effects on midges occurred in sediments from both the upstream reach and the downstream (reservoir) reach. Little toxicity was observed in mussel tests. Toxicity thresholds (20% effect concentrations [EC20s]) for metals in sediment and porewater were estimated from logistic concentration–response models. Copper (Cu) concentrations in the simultaneously extracted metal fraction of sediments and bioavailable Cu in porewater, as characterized by biotic ligand models, had consistent associations with toxicity endpoints. Concentration–response models for sediment Cu produced EC20s for 6 endpoints, with long‐term amphipod survival and reproduction being the most sensitive. A logistic regression model fitted to an endpoint sensitivity distribution for sediment Cu predicted that approximately one‐half of the sediments tested would be toxic to at least one endpoint and that approximately 20% of test sediments would be toxic to more than half of the endpoints. These results indicate that sediments from the upstream reach of the Upper Columbia River, which contain high concentrations of metals associated with slags, cause a wide range of toxic effects in laboratory tests and are likely to have adverse effects on benthic invertebrate communities.

Washington↗

USGS2016

Acute sensitivity of the vernal pool fairy shrimp, Branchinecta lynchi (Anostraca; Branchinectidae), and surrogate species to 10 chemicals

Vernal pool fairy shrimp, Branchinecta lynchi , (Branchiopoda; Anostraca) and other fairy shrimp species have been listed as threatened or endangered under the US Endangered Species Act. Because few data exist about the sensitivity of Branchinecta spp. to toxic effects of contaminants, it is difficult to determine whether they are adequately protected by water quality criteria. A series of acute (24-h) lethality/immobilization tests was conducted with 3 species of fairy shrimp ( B. lynchi, Branchinecta lindahli , and Thamnocephalus platyurus ) and 10 chemicals with varying modes of toxic action: ammonia, potassium, chloride, sulfate, chromium(VI), copper, nickel, zinc, alachlor, and metolachlor. The same chemicals were tested in 48-h tests with other branchiopods (the cladocerans Daphnia magna and Ceriodaphnia dubia ) and an amphipod ( Hyalella azteca ), and in 96-h tests with snails ( Physa gyrina and Lymnaea stagnalis ). Median effect concentrations (EC50s) for B. lynchi were strongly correlated ( r 2 = 0.975) with EC50s for the commercially available fairy shrimp species T. platyurus for most chemicals tested. Comparison of EC50s for fairy shrimp and EC50s for invertebrate taxa tested concurrently and with other published toxicity data indicated that fairy shrimp were relatively sensitive to potassium and several trace metals compared with other invertebrate taxa, although cladocerans, amphipods, and mussels had similar broad toxicant sensitivity. Interspecies correlation estimation models for predicting toxicity to fairy shrimp from surrogate species indicated that models with cladocerans and freshwater mussels as surrogates produced the best predictions of the sensitivity of fairy shrimp to contaminants. The results of these studies indicate that fairy shrimp are relatively sensitive to a range of toxicants, but Endangered Species Act-listed fairy shrimp of the genus Branchinecta were not consistently more sensitive than other fairy shrimp taxa. Environ Toxicol Chem 2017;36:797–806. Published 2016 Wiley Periodicals Inc. on behalf of SETAC. This article is a US government work and, as such, is in the public domain in the United States of America.

Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry↗

USGS2016

Survival and growth of freshwater pulmonate and nonpulmonate snails in 28-day exposures to copper, ammonia, and pentachlorophenol

We performed toxicity tests with two species of pulmonate snails ( Lymnaea stagnalis and Physa gyrina ) and four taxa of nonpulmonate snails in the family Hydrobiidae ( Pyrgulopsis robusta , Taylorconcha serpenticola , Fluminicola sp., and Fontigens aldrichi ). Snails were maintained in static-renewal or recirculating culture systems with adults removed periodically to isolate cohorts of offspring for toxicity testing. This method successfully produced offspring for both species of pulmonate snails and for two hydrobiid species, P. robusta and Fluminicola sp. Toxicity tests were performed for 28 days with copper, ammonia, and pentachlorophenol in hard reconstituted water with endpoints of survival and growth. Tests were started with 1-week-old L. stagnalis , 2-week-old P. gyrina , 5- to 13-week-old P. robusta and Fluminicola sp., and older juveniles and adults of several hydrobiid species. For all three chemicals, chronic toxicity values for pulmonate snails were consistently greater than those for hydrobiid snails, and hydrobiids were among the most sensitive taxa in species sensitivity distributions for all three chemicals. These results suggest that the toxicant sensitivity of nonpulmonate snails in the family Hydrobiidae would not be adequately represented by results of toxicity testing with pulmonate snails.

Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxico↗

USGS2015

Effect of diet quality on chronic toxicity of aqueous lead to the amphipod Hyalella azteca

The authors investigated the chronic toxicity of aqueous Pb to the amphipod Hyalella azteca (Hyalella) in 42-d tests using 2 different diets: 1) the yeastþcereal leafþtrout pellet (YCT) diet, fed at the uniform low ration used in standard methods for sediment toxicity tests; and 2) a new diet of diatomsþTetraMin flakes (DT), fed at increasing rations over time, that has been optimized for use in Hyalella water-only tests. Test endpoints included survival, weight, biomass, fecundity, and total young. Lethal effects of Pb were similar for the DT and YCT tests (20% lethal concentration [LC20]¼13 mg/L and 15mg/L, respectively, as filterable Pb). In contrast, weight and fecundity endpoints were not significantly affected in the DT test at Pb concentrations up to 63 mg/L, but these endpoints were significantly reduced by Pb in the YCT test—and in a 2005 test in the same laboratory with a diet of conditioned Rabbit Chow (RC-2005). The fecundity and total young endpoints from the YCT and RC-2005 tests were considered unreliable because fecundity in controls did not meet test acceptability criteria, but both of these tests still produced lower Pb effect concentrations (for weight or biomass) than the test with the DT diet. The lowest biotic ligand model–normalized effect concentrations for the 3 tests ranged from 3.7mg/L (weight 20% effect concentration [EC20] for the RC-2005 test) to 8.2 mg/L (total young EC20 for the DT test), values that would rank Hyalella as the second or third most sensitive of 13 genera in a species sensitivity distribution for chronic Pb toxicity. These results demonstrate that toxicity tests with Hyalella fed optimal diets can meet more stringent test acceptability criteria for control performance, but suggest that results of these tests may underestimate sublethal toxic effects of Pb to Hyalella under suboptimal feeding regimes.

Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry↗

USGS2014

Toxicity of sediments from lead-zinc mining areas to juvenile freshwater mussels (Lampsilis siliquoidea) compared to standard test organisms

Sediment toxicity tests compared chronic effects on survival, growth, and biomass of juvenile freshwater mussels (28-d exposures with Lampsilis siliquoidea ) to the responses of standard test organisms—amphipods (28-d exposures with Hyalella azteca ) and midges (10-d exposures with Chironomus dilutus )—in sediments from 2 lead–zinc mining areas: the Tri-State Mining District and Southeast Missouri Mining District. Mussel tests were conducted in sediments sieved to <0.25 mm to facilitate recovery of juvenile mussels (2–4 mo old). Sediments were contaminated primarily with lead, zinc, and cadmium, with greater zinc and cadmium concentrations in Tri-State sediments and greater lead concentrations in southeast Missouri sediments. The frequency of highly toxic responses (reduced 10% or more relative to reference sites) in Tri-State sediments was greatest for amphipod survival (25% of samples), midge biomass (20%), and mussel survival (14%). In southeast Missouri sediments, the frequency of highly toxic samples was greatest for mussel biomass (25%) and amphipod biomass (13%). Thresholds for metal toxicity to mussels, expressed as hazard quotients based on probable effect concentrations, were lower for southeast Missouri sediments than for Tri-State sediments. Southeast Missouri sites with toxic sediments had 2 or fewer live mussel taxa in a concurrent mussel population survey, compared with 7 to 26 taxa at reference sites. These results demonstrate that sediment toxicity tests with juvenile mussels can be conducted reliably by modifying existing standard methods; that the sensitivity of mussels to metals can be similar to or greater than standard test organisms; and that responses of mussels in laboratory toxicity tests are consistent with effects on wild mussel populations.

Missouri↗

USGS2013

Assaying environmental nickel toxicity using model nematodes

Although nickel exposure results in allergic reactions, respiratory conditions, and cancer in humans and rodents, the ramifications of excess nickel in the environment for animal and human health remain largely undescribed. Nickel and other cationic metals travel through waterways and bind to soils and sediments. To evaluate the potential toxic effects of nickel at environmental contaminant levels (8.9-7,600 µg Ni/g dry weight of sediment and 50-800 µg NiCl 2 /L of water), we conducted assays using two cosmopolitan nematodes, Caenorhabditis elegans and Pristionchus pacificus . We assayed the effects of both sediment-bound and aqueous nickel upon animal growth, developmental survival, lifespan, and fecundity. Uncontaminated sediments were collected from sites in the Midwestern United States and spiked with a range of nickel concentrations. We found that nickel-spiked sediment substantially impairs both survival from larval to adult stages and adult longevity in a concentration-dependent manner. Further, while aqueous nickel showed no adverse effects on either survivorship or longevity, we observed a significant decrease in fecundity, indicating that aqueous nickel could have a negative impact on nematode physiology. Intriguingly, C. elegans and P. pacificus exhibit similar, but not identical, responses to nickel exposure. Moreover, P. pacificus could be tested successfully in sediments inhospitable to C. elegans . Our results add to a growing body of literature documenting the impact of nickel on animal physiology, and suggest that environmental toxicological studies could gain an advantage by widening their repertoire of nematode species.

PLoS ONE↗

USGS2013

Improving sediment-quality guidelines for nickel: development and application of predictive bioavailability models to assess chronic toxicity of nickel in freshwater sediments

Within the framework of European Union chemical legislations an extensive data set on the chronic toxicity of sediment nickel has been generated. In the initial phase of testing, tests were conducted with 8 taxa of benthic invertebrates in 2 nickel-spiked sediments, including 1 reasonable worst-case sediment with low concentrations of acid-volatile sulfide (AVS) and total organic carbon. The following species were tested: amphipods ( Hyalella azteca , Gammarus pseudolimnaeus ), mayflies ( Hexagenia sp.), oligochaetes ( Tubifex tubifex , Lumbriculus variegatus ), mussels ( Lampsilis siliquoidea ), and midges ( Chironomus dilutus , Chironomus riparius ). In the second phase, tests were conducted with the most sensitive species in 6 additional spiked sediments, thus generating chronic toxicity data for a total of 8 nickel-spiked sediments. A species sensitivity distribution was elaborated based on 10% effective concentrations yielding a threshold value of 94 mg Ni/kg dry weight under reasonable worst-case conditions. Data from all sediments were used to model predictive bioavailability relationships between chronic toxicity thresholds (20% effective concentrations) and AVS and Fe, and these models were used to derive site-specific sediment-quality criteria. Normalization of toxicity values reduced the intersediment variability in toxicity values significantly for the amphipod species Hyalella azteca and G. pseudolimnaeus , but these relationships were less clearly defined for the mayfly Hexagenia sp. Application of the models to prevailing local conditions resulted in threshold values ranging from 126 mg to 281 mg Ni/kg dry weight, based on the AVS model, and 143 mg to 265 mg Ni/kg dry weight, based on the Fe model

Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry↗