Acute toxicity tests using rotifers. III. Effects of temperature, strain, and exposure time on the sensitivity of Brachionus plicatilis

Abstract

As part of the development of a standardized acute toxicity test, the effect of cyst age, strain, temperature, and exposure time on the toxicity of 21 chemicals to the estuarine rotifer Brachionus plicatilis was investigated. Toxicity was chemical specific, with LC₅₀s ranging from 0.061 mg · L⁻¹ for mecury to 598 mg · L⁻¹ for 2,4‐dichlorophenoxyacetic acid. Intralaboratory coefficients of variation averaged 11%, at least three times lower than for other aquatic invertebrate acute tests. The age of rotifer cysts stored up to 27 months had no effect on the sensitivity of test animals, but significant differences in sensitivity were detected among rotifer strains. Test temperatures of 25, 30, and 35°C generally yielded lower LC₅₀s than at 20°C. LC₅₀s decreased by 80–90% for cadmium and pentachlorophenol when toxicant exposure time was increased from 24 to 72 h. Life table analysis of rotifer survival in the controls revealed that 72 h is the longest acute test possible without feeding. A comparison of the sensitivity of the rotifer test to that of sea urchin (Arabacia punctulata) early embryo, sea urchin sperm cell, Microtox®, and Mysidopsis bahia tests revealed comparability for several compounds. However, no species is consistently the most sensitive to all compounds.