Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Effects of Water Quality Parameters on Boron Toxicity to Ceriodaphnia dubia

  • Published:
Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The potential modifying effects of certain water quality parameters (e.g., hardness, alkalinity, pH) on the acute toxicity of boron were tested using a freshwater cladoceran, Ceriodaphnia dubia. By comparison, boron acute toxicity was less affected by water quality characteristics than some metals (e.g., copper and silver). Increases in alkalinity over the range tested did not alter toxicity. Increases in water hardness appeared to have an effect with very hard waters (>500 mg/L as CaCO3). Decreased pH had a limited influence on boron acute toxicity in laboratory waters. Increasing chloride concentration did not provide a protective effect. Boron acute toxicity was unaffected by sodium concentrations. Median acute lethal concentrations (LC50) in natural water samples collected from three field sites were all greater than in reconstituted laboratory waters that matched natural waters in all respects except for dissolved organic carbon. Water effect ratios in these waters ranged from 1.4 to 1.8. In subsequent studies using a commercially available source of natural organic matter, acute toxicity decreased with increased dissolved organic carbon, suggesting, along with the natural water studies, that dissolved organic carbon should be considered further as a modifier of boron toxicity in natural waters where it exceeds 2 mg/L.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • ASTM (2001) Standard guide for conducting acute toxicity testing on test materials with fishes, macroinvertebrates, and amphibians. E729-96. In: Annual book of ASTM standards, Volume 11.05. American Society for Testing and Materials Philadelphia

  • Barros SE (2007) Ecologia reproductive de poblaciones naturalizadas de trucha arco iris Oncorhynchus mykiss en elevadas concentraciones de elementos traza en la Puna de Argentina (Reproductive ecology of naturalized populations of rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss in elevated concentrations of trace elements in the altiplano of Argentina). MS thesis, Universida Nacional Salta, Salta, Argentina

  • Birge WJ, Black JA (1977) Sensitivity of vertebrate embryos to boron compounds. EPA 560/1-76-008. US Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC

    Google Scholar 

  • Black JA, Barnum JB, Birge WJ (1993) An integrated assessment of the biological effects of boron to the rainbow trout. Chemosphere 26:1383–1413. doi:10.1016/0045-6535(93)90189-C

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Brauner CJ, Wood CM (2002) Effect of long-term silver exposure on survival and ionoregulatory development in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) embryos and larvae, in the presence and absence of added dissolved organic matter. Comp Biochem Physiol C 133:161–173

    Google Scholar 

  • Bury NR, Shaw J, Glover C, Hogstrand C (2002) Derivation of a toxicity-based model to predict how water chemistry influences silver toxicity to invertebrates. Comp Biochem Physiol C 133:259–270

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Butterwick L, De Oude N, Raymond K (1989) Safety assessment of boron in aquatic and terrestrial environments. Ecotoxicol Environ Safety 17:339–371. doi:10.1016/0147-6513(89)90055-9

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Campbell JH, Evans RD (1987) Inorganic and organic ligand binding of lead and cadmium and resultant implications for bioavailability. Sci Total Environ 62:219–227. doi:10.1016/0048-9697(87)90504-3

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Canton JH, Adema DMM (1978) Reproducibility of short-term and reproduction toxicity experiments with Daphnia magna and comparison of the sensitivity of Daphnia magna with Daphnia pulex and Daphnia cucullata in short-term experiments. Hydrobiologia 59:135–140. doi:10.1007/BF00020774

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • De Schamphelaere KAC, Janssen CR (2002) A biotic ligand model predicting acute copper toxicity for Daphnia magna: the effects of calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, and pH. Environ Sci Technol 36:48–54. doi:10.1021/es000253s

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Eisler R (1990) Boron hazards to fish, wildlife, and invertebrates: a synoptic review. US Fish Wildlife Service, Biol Rep 85(1.20)

  • Gensemer RW, Naddy RB, Stubblefield WA, Hockett JR, Santore R, Paquin PR (2002) Evaluating the role of ion composition on the toxicity of copper to Ceriodaphnia dubia in very hard waters. Comp Biochem Physiol C 133:87–97

    Google Scholar 

  • Gersich FM (1984) Evaluation of a static renewal chronic toxicity test method for Daphnia magna Straus using boric acid. Environ Toxicol Chem 3:89–94. doi:10.1897/1552-8618(1984)3[89:EOASRC]2.0.CO;2

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gersich FM, Milazzo DP (1990) Evaluation of a 14-day static renewal toxicity test with Daphnia magna Straus. Arch Environ Contam Toxicol 19:72–76. doi:10.1007/BF01059814

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Goldstein JN, Hubert WA, Woodward DF, Farag AM, Meyer JS (2001) Naturalized salmonid populations occur in the presence of elevated trace element concentrations and temperatures in the Firehole River, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, USA. Environ Toxicol Chem 20:2342–2352. doi:10.1897/1551-5028(2001)020<2342:NSPOIT>2.0.CO;2

    Google Scholar 

  • Hickey CW (1989) Sensitivity of four New Zealand cladoceran species and Daphnia magna to aquatic toxicants. NZ J Marine Freshwater Res 23:131–137

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Howe PD (1998) A review of boron effects in the environment. Biol Trace Element Res 66:153–166. doi:10.1007/BF02783135

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • IPCS (1998) Environmental Health Criteria 204: Boron. International Programme on Chemical Safety, World Health Organization, Geneva

    Google Scholar 

  • Lewis MA, Valentine LC (1981) Acute and chronic toxicities of boric acid to Daphnia magna Straus. Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 27:309–315. doi:10.1007/BF01611025

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Loewengart G (2001) Toxicity of boron to rainbow trout: a weight-of-evidence assessment. Environ Toxicol Chem 20:796–803. doi:10.1897/1551-5028(2001)020<0796:TOBTRT>2.0.CO;2

    Google Scholar 

  • Maier KJ, Knight AW (1991) The toxicity of waterborne boron to Daphnia magna and Chironomus decorus and the effects of water hardness and sulfate on boron toxicity. Arch Environ Contam Toxicol 20:282–287. doi:10.1007/BF01055917

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • McGeer JC, Wood CM (1998) Protective effects of water Cl− on physiological responses to waterborne silver in rainbow trout. Can J Fish Aquat Sci 55:2447–2454. doi:10.1139/cjfas-55-11-2447

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • McGeer JC, Szebedinszky C, McDonald DG, Wood CM (2002) The role of dissolved organic carbon in moderating the bioavailability and toxicity of Cu to rainbow trout during chronic waterborne exposure. Comp Biochem Physiol C 133:147–160

    Google Scholar 

  • Paquin PR, Gorsuch JW, Apte S et al (2002) The biotic ligand model: a historical overview. Comp Biochem Physiol C 133:3–35

    Google Scholar 

  • PCWMD (2002) Habitat characterization study, final report. Pima County Wastewater Management Department, Arid West Water Quality Research Project, Tucson, AZ

    Google Scholar 

  • Pillard DA, Hockett JR, DiBona DR (1999) The toxicity of common ions to freshwater and marine organisms. American Petroleum Institute 4666, Washington DC

    Google Scholar 

  • Playle RC, Dixon DG, Burnison K (1993) Copper and cadmium binding to fish gills: modification by dissolved organic carbon and synthetic ligands. Can J Fish Aquat Sci 50:2667–2677

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Roy RL, Campbell PGC (1997) Decreased toxicity of Al to juvenile Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) in acidic soft water containing natural organic matter: a test of the free-ion model. Environ Toxicol Chem 16:1962–1969. doi:10.1897/1551-5028(1997)016<1962:DTOATJ>2.3.CO;2

    Google Scholar 

  • Simon JM, Smith RA (2000) Borate raw materials. Glass Technol 41:169–173

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • US EPA (US Environmental Protection Agency) (1985) Guidelines for deriving numerical national water quality criteria for the protection of aquatic organisms and their uses. PB85–227049, Office of Water, Washington, DC

    Google Scholar 

  • US EPA (US Environmental Protection Agency) (1993) Methods for measuring the acute toxicity of effluents and receiving waters to freshwater and marine organisms, 4th edn. EPA 600/4-90/027F, Office of Research and Development, Washington, DC

    Google Scholar 

  • US EPA (US Environmental Protection Agency) (1994a) Toxicity data analysis software, Version 1.5. US EPA, Cincinnati, OH

    Google Scholar 

  • US EPA (US Environmental Protection Agency) (1994b) Interim Guidance on determination and use of water-effect ratios for metals. EPA-823-B-94-001, Office of Water, Washington, DC

    Google Scholar 

  • US EPA (US Environmental Protection Agency) (1999) National recommended water quality criteria-correction. EPA 822-Z-99-001, Office of Water, Washington, DC

    Google Scholar 

  • US EPA (US Environmental Protection Agency) (2002) National recommended water quality criteria. EPA 822-R-02-047, Office of Water, Washington, DC

    Google Scholar 

  • US EPA (US Environmental Protection Agency) (2007) Aquatic life ambient freshwater quality criteria—copper. 2007 Revision. EPA 822-R-07-001, Office of Water, Washington, DC

    Google Scholar 

  • Welsh PG, Chapman GA, Hansen JA, Lipton J (2001) Importance of ionic composition of reconstituted laboratory test water in interpreting metal toxicity test results. In: Greenberg BM, Hull RN, Roberts MH Jr, Gensemer RW (eds) Environmental toxicology and risk assessment: Science, policy, and standardization—Implications for environmental decisions, vol 10. ASTM STP 1403, American Society for Testing and Materials, West Conshohocken, PA, pp 3–15

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This research was supported by U.S. Borax. The authors thank Dr. R. Naddy, V. Stevens, and G. Stern for assistance with experimental design and laboratory testing.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. ENSR, 4303 West Laporte Avenue, Fort Collins, CO, 80521, USA

    Gail M. Dethloff

  2. Parametrix, 33972 Texas Street SW, Albany, OR, 97321, USA

    William A. Stubblefield

  3. NiPERA, 2605 Meridian Parkway, Suite 200, Durham, NC, 27713, USA

    Christian E. Schlekat

Authors
  1. Gail M. Dethloff
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. William A. Stubblefield
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Christian E. Schlekat
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Gail M. Dethloff.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Dethloff, G.M., Stubblefield, W.A. & Schlekat, C.E. Effects of Water Quality Parameters on Boron Toxicity to Ceriodaphnia dubia . Arch Environ Contam Toxicol 57, 60–67 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00244-008-9240-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00244-008-9240-4

Keywords

Search

Navigation