F. Zieris, D. Feind, W. Huber
Mar 1, 1988
Citations
0
Influential Citations
13
Citations
Journal
Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology
Abstract
This study was designed to investigate the possibility of ecotoxicological research with model ecosystems and to determine the effects of 4-nitrophenol on aquatic macrophytes, algae, fauna, and water chemistry. Before the beginning of the experiments, the synthetic ecosystem was divided into three compartments in order to evaluate two concentrations of one chemical against an internal control. The target concentrations were 10 and 5 mg/L and were maintained over eight weeks. 4-Nitrophenol could be detected for 10 weeks (low dose) and 17 weeks (high dose) post-application. At the beginning of application, the pH decreased and the bicarbonate concentration increased. Later the nitrogen concentrations also increased. The species balance of the algae changed: the Cryptophyceae supplanted the Chlorophyceae which dominated previously. The aquatic fauna declined, in particular, the Cladocera and Cyclopida. One year after application, no macrophytes except Chara could be found in the treated compartments. The development of the physicochemical characteristics, the algae and the fauna were severely disrupted.