Comparative Toxicity of Prymnesium parvum in Inland Waters

• Published in: Journal of the American Water Resources Association 2010-02, Vol.46 (1), p.45-62
• Main Authors: Brooks, Bryan W., James, Susan V., Valenti, Jr, Theodore W., Urena-Boeck, Fabiola, Serrano, Carlos, Berninger, Jason P., Schwierzke, Leslie, Mydlarz, Laura D., Grover, James P., Roelke, Daniel L.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Algae; allelopathy; ambient toxicity; Aquatic ecosystems; Comparative analysis; comparative toxicology; Effects; Fish; fisheries management; harmful algae blooms; Plankton; species sensitivity; standardized bioassay; Toxicity
• ISSN: 1093-474X; 1752-1688
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1752-1688.2009.00390.x

Numerous studies have examined the impacts of Prymnesium parvum to aquatic life, but the majority of information available is from experiments or field studies performed at salinities of marine and coastal ecosystems. Ambient toxicity of P. parvum has been characterized with in vitro and in vivo models because reliable quantitation of P. parvum toxins in environmental matrices is often precluded by a lack of available analytical standards. Hemolytic activity and fish mortality assays have been used most frequently to characterize toxic conditions; however, relatively few in vivo studies employed standardized methods. Because the relative sensitivities of different taxa to P. parvum toxins in inland waters were undefined, we assessed the comparative toxicity of P. parvum filtrate from a laboratory study (20...C, 12:12 light:dark cycle, f/8 media, 2.4 psu) to several common standardized in vitro and in vivo models. After exposure to cell-free filtrate hemolytic activity (1 h EC... = 13,712 cells/ml) and juvenile fish (Pimephales promelas) survival (48 h LC... = 21,754 cells/ml) were the most sensitive assay responses examined, followed by rotifer (Brachionus calyciflorus) population growth rate [48 h no observable adverse effect levels (NOAEL) = 19,072 cells/ml] and cladoceran (Daphnia magna) reproduction (10-day NOAEL = 47,680 cells/ml). Green algae (Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata) growth (96 h) was not adversely affected but was instead significantly stimulated by P. parvum toxins. We further propose an initial species sensitivity distribution approach for P. parvum, which may be used to support future environmental management decisions. Our findings from these laboratory studies indicate that although fish kills are increasingly associated with P. parvum blooms occurring in inland waters, further study is required to define the influences of toxin sensitivities of phytoplankton, zooplankton, and fish communities on P. parvum bloom initiation and termination. (ProQuest: ... denotes formulae/symbols omitted.)