Open Literature Review Summary

Abbasi, S. A. and Soni, R. (1991). Evaluation of Water Quality Criteria for Four Common Pesticides on the Basis of Computer-Aided Studies. Indian J.Environ.Health 33: 22-24.

Previous review was for RLF. Updated 7/25/15 for ESA Pilot

Authors conducted 144 h toxicity tests on tadpoles of Rana tigrina, using four pesticides, chlorpyrifos, endosulfan, malathion, and phosalone. Acute toxicity of respective pesticides was in the order of endosulphan>chlorpyrifos>phosalone>malathion. Endosulphan was over 100 times more toxic than malathion. Authors also looked at stress to tadpoles evidenced by sluggish and imbalanced movements and reduced food intake compared to controls. Tadpoles were selected by size rather than age (average size 1.1 cm, average weight 57 mg). Acclimation and experimental procedures were included by reference and for the ESA Pilot, the referenced article: Abassi S.A. and Soni, R. (1984). Toxicity of Lower than Permissible Levels of Chromium (VI) to the Freshwater Teleost, (Nuria denricus) Environ Poll. A (36)75-82 was reviewed to gain information on the methods.

For malathion, the 96 h LC50 was 1410 ug/L and the 144 h LC50 was 170 ug/L.

ESA: QUAL -This study is classified as QUAL and will not be used quantitatively in the ESA pilot assessment because it lacks critical information regarding the methods (after reference review) and test substance formulation.

• 
  Test material not stated to be TGAI or TEP
  
• 
  Methods were only referenced. After reviewing the reference article the methods were still unclear.
  

• 
  Age of test organisms not given.
  
• 
  Purity of test substance not given.
  
• 
  Solvent use unknown
  
• 
  Test concentrations not confirmed
  
• 
  Temperature not reported.
  
• 
  Adequate replication not stated –when reviewing the referenced methods paper, it seems the replication was sufficient if same method used.
  
• 
  Dilution water not confirmed to be appropriate and uncontaminated –the reference indicates some water quality parameters were tested but source was well water and it is unclear if pesticide/contaminant free.
  
• 
  Acclimation period (with little mortality) not stated-the reference indicates acclimation mortality was monitored but uncertain for current study.
  

Katherine Stebbins, Biologist, ERB3

Elizabeth Donovan, Biologist, ERB6

Dowden, B.F. 1966. Effects of Five Insecticides on the Oxygen Consumption of the Bluegill Sunfish, Lepomis macrochirus. Ph.D.Thesis, Louisiana State Univ., Baton Rouge, LA,Ph.D.Thesis, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA : 104 p.

Several pesticides were tested in this study (chlordane, parathion, DDT, malathion and lindane), however, this reviews focuses on the malathion results.

Juvenile bluegill sunfish (Lepomis macrochirus) were exposed to malathion (99.2%) at concentrations of 0.1, 1.0 and 5.0 µg/L and oxygen consumption was measured. Fish were shipped from the Louisiana Wild Life and Fisheries Commission or collected from farm ponds and the Mississippi river when temperatures prohibited shipping of fish; fish were held in reconstituted fresh water. The respirometer used in the study was based on designs by Betz (personal communication) and Welsh and Smith (1960). It appears that portions of the devise were dedicated to either testing control or malathion-exposed fish. Test solutions were prepared in acetone. Two groups of three randomly chosen fish were placed into two exposure chambers and weighed to the nearest 0.1g (placed on balance without water), and there was an attempt to keep the weight consistent as possible between test groups (between 15-20g). Tests were conducted at 21±1°C. Fish were acclimated to the exposure chambers for no less than 8 hours and test initiation times were randomly chosen. Tests were conducted for 50 hours (to ensure a 48-hr measurement period) or until a fish died at which point that study was terminated. Oxygen consumption rates were calculated (mL Oyxgen/gm/hr). Comparison between the control and treatment groups was conducted using factorial analysis of variance methods (F tests). Given that mortality was observed in the test groups, the data used in the statistical comparison for the treatments appeared to be for a 10 hour period (longest period before a death in a replicate (reviewer unsure for which chemical) was observed). Data from the controls was for the 48-hour period.

Results:

Significant decreases in oxygen consumption was reported at all malathion treatments (values in ECOTOX were adjusted for purity, 99.2%). Fish were noted to produce excess mucus when exposed to malathion compared to the control, however, correlation of mucus production with oxygen consumption was not possible. The oxygen consumption rates for the test chemicals are shown below (reprinted from Figure IV in the document).