Marine microalgae toxicity test for linear alkylbenzene sulfonate (LAS) and alkylphenol ethoxylate (APEO)

Abstract

Different microalgal species have been used in growth-inhibition tests to determine the toxic concentrations of anionic and non-ionic surfactants to phytoplankton. The species used were selected from different taxonomic groups, all of considerable ecological relevance to marine environments. The toxicity of the C₁₃ LAS homologue to the microalgal species selected was usually one order of magnitude greater than that of the C₁₁ homologue. The toxicity of a commercial LAS mixture to different microalgal species was also checked. For this material and C. gracilis, cellular counting by means of a Neubauer chamber and by use of a flow cytometer were compared; differences between the two methods were insignificant. The toxicity of decaethoxylated nonylphenol non-ionic surfactant to C. gracilis was also checked; the EC₅₀ value for this compound was 1.0 mg L^–1.