You are here:
EFFECTS OF SYNTHETIC POLYELECTROLYTES ON SELECTED AQUATIC ORGANISMS
Citation:
Biesinger, K. AND G. Stokes. EFFECTS OF SYNTHETIC POLYELECTROLYTES ON SELECTED AQUATIC ORGANISMS. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C., EPA/600/J-86/128 (NTIS PB87100715), 1986.
Description:
The acute toxicity of several polyelectrolytes to daphnids (Daphnia magna), fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas), gammarids (Gammarus pseudolimnaeus) and midges (Paratanytarsus parthenogeneticus) was tested. Most nonionic and anionic polyelectrolytes were not toxic at 100 mg/l which was the highest concentration tested. Two of 15 cationic polyelectrolytes were not toxic at 100 mg/l, whereas the toxicity of the others ranged from 0.09 to 70.71 mg/l. A cationic polyelectrolyte was tested in microcosms using five aquatic animals and 10 algae; various adverse effects were observed. Exposure of fathead minnows to a cationic polyelectrolyte resulted in severe gill damage.