Content area
Full text
Environ Monit Assess (2009) 150:333349 DOI 10.1007/s10661-008-0234-5
Selection and application of a rainbow trout toxicity testing procedure for screening Sacramento River Watershed, California samples
Jeffrey L. Miller & Michael J. Miller &
Victor de Vlaming & Karen Larsen &
Edward Smith & Kevin Reece
Received: 9 May 2007 /Accepted: 27 February 2008 / Published online: 16 May 2008 # Springer Science + Business Media B.V. 2008
Abstract A number of procedures have been developed to assess toxic effects on the early life stages of salmonid fish. In this study 13 rainbow trout embryo development relatively short-term (7 to 90 day) procedures were reviewed. Three 7-day methods from the published literature and three modifications developed at AQUA-Science (A-S) were evaluated
in the laboratory. Based on that evaluation, A-S methods were selected for screening surface water samples (A-S 1) collected in the Sacramento River watershed (California) and for conducting toxicity identification evaluations (TIE) to identify cause(s) of toxicity. Test control performance, test sensitivity, and reference toxicant response variability in the A-S 1 were superior to those in commonly used freshwater toxicity testing methods. The incidence of Sacramento River watershed samples resulting in a notable decrease in embryo development was very low. Of 260 samples screened only 16 (6%) resulted in statistically significant inhibition of embryo development. Of the 16 toxic samples, nine caused minimal (less than 20% abnormal development) and four marginal (less than 30%) toxicity. Samples collected from the agriculture-dominated Colusa Basin Drain and rangeland/forest-dominated Battle Creek on June 16, 2005 caused significant toxicity. TIE procedures indicated that cationic chemicals were the primary cause of toxicity. Metals analysis did not reveal concentrations sufficient to inhibit embryo development, so the most probable cause of toxicity in the two samples was cationic chemicals (perhaps surfactants?) or metals that were not included in the analytical screening.
Keywords Rainbow trout embryo development . Toxicity testing . Sacramento River watershed . Toxicity identification evaluation . Cationic chemicals
J. L. Miller (*) : M. J. Miller AQUA-Science,17 Arboretum Drive,Davis, CA 95616, USA e-mail: [email protected]
V. de VlamingSchool of Veterinary Medicine: APC, University of California,1321 Haring Hall,Davis, CA 95616, USA
K. LarsenCalifornia Regional Water Quality Control Board, Central Valley Region,11020 Sun Center Drive Suite 200,Rancho Cordova, CA 95670-6114, USA
E. SmithBodega Marine Laboratory,...