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What’s new in new test methods for assessing whole effluent and receiving water toxicity
Citation:
Lazorchak, Jim AND T. Norberg-King. What’s new in new test methods for assessing whole effluent and receiving water toxicity. 2020 SETAC Europe Virtual Meeting, Virtual, May 03 - 06, 2021.
Impact/Purpose:
The presentation will cover the latest progress in ORD's methods development for new test species to be used for testing effluents and receiving waters for toxicity
Description:
EPA currently has aquatic toxicity testing methods for effluent and ambient testing that were promulgated in 2002. Currently, EPA’s Whole Effluent Toxicity (WET) test methods include the freshwater toxicity test methods for acute lethality include cladocerans (Daphnia magna, Daphnia pulex, Ceriodaphnia dubia) and three fish species (fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas), rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), and brown trout (Salvelinus fontinalis)). EPA’s WET short-term chronic freshwater toxicity test methods include three species, a cladoceran (C. dubia), the fathead minnow (P. promelas), and a green alga (Raphidocelis subcapitata). Beginning in 2020, ORD has been working on two test species to expand the possible options for species sensitivity selection for ambient and effluent toxicity testing. In the first stage, EPA will design and develop test methods for the shortterm chronic test with the cladoceran, D. magna, and acute and short-term chronic test protocols for the freshwater mussel (fatmucket, Lampsilis siliquoidea). Both the Duluth (mussels) and Cincinnati (D. magna) laboratories within ORD will be developing these test protocols and refining the various test conditions and test acceptability criteria for each test species within the EPA/ORD laboratories. A second phase will include plans to develop test methods for additional species. These will potentially include acute and short-term chronic methods for the mayflies, amphipods, and midges; a short-term chronic test procedure using trout; and possibly acute and/or short-term chronic testing methods for additional algae species and aquatic plants. The development of WET tests for these species will provide significant new tools to aid in the detection of both known and unknown chemical and biological contaminants in wastewater and ambient water quality testing for aquatic life protection. The eventual standardization and laboratory(s) validation of these new WET tests will support testing programs within EPA’s Office of Water, EPA Regions, States, and other aquatic regulatory programs. This presentation will present the latest progress on the development of a shortterm Daphnia magna chronic method which is a modification of a previous publication by Lazorchak, Smith and Haring, 2009 and a short term survival and growth method with L. siliquoidea.
