title: Acute and chronic toxicity of the herbicide benzofenap (Taipan 300) to Chironomus tepperi Skuse (Diptera: Chironomidae) and Isidorella newcombi (Adams and Angas) (Gastropoda: Planorbidae).
abstract: Acute and chronic toxicity tests were conducted on the herbicide benzofenap (Taipan 300) using two Australian freshwater invertebrates. The commercial formulation of benzofenap and a blank formulation containing only the adjuvants of Taipan 300 were tested against final instar larvae of the midge Chironomus tepperi and adults of the aquatic snail Isidorella newcombi. In 24-h acute bioassays the midge larvae did not show significant mortality at a nominal concentration of 1.2 mg/L active ingredient (AI), double the maximum notional concentration expected in rice fields after application of Taipan 300 at the permit rate of 2 L/ha. No significant snail mortality was recorded in acute bioassays (24-h exposure, 48-h recovery) at nominal concentrations up to 76 mg/L AI, which is over 120 times the maximum notional field concentration. In chronic assays, the pupation and emergence of C. tepperi was monitored after a 4-h pulse exposure of final instar larvae to Taipan 300 (nominal concentrations 0.001 to 0.1 mg/L AI) and adjuvant-only (0.1 mg/L equivalent) treatments. No statistically significant effects were observed, although emergence appeared to be delayed by higher benzofenap concentrations and by the adjuvant-only treatment. During snail bioassays, egg and feces production were monitored for 21 days after 24-h exposure to Taipan 300 (nominal concentrations 1.2 mg/L to 60 mg/L AI) and adjuvant-only treatments (60 mg/L equivalent). No significant chronic effects were proven against I. newcombi, despite a decline in egg mass production following exposure to all treatments and a reduction in the total numbers of eggs produced at the highest nominal concentrations tested (60 mg/L AI and adjuvant-only treatments). Similarly, feces production by snail pairs exposed to the majority of treatments declined, but these differences were not statistically significant. It is concluded that Taipan 300 does not represent a significant risk to mature C. tepperi larvae or adult I. newcombi in downstream environments when applied to rice fields at the permit rate of 2 L/ha.
authors.affiliation: School of Science and Technology, Charles Sturt University, P.O. Box 588, Wagga Wagga, NSW 2678, Australia.
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Stevens
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Watts
mesh_terms: D000098:Acetophenones / Q000633:toxicity*; D000818:Animals; D001681:Biological Assay; D002683:Chironomidae / Q000187:drug effects*; D006540:Herbicides / Q000633:toxicity*; D007814:Larva / Q000187:drug effects; D009517:New South Wales; D012275:Oryza; D012908:Snails / Q000187:drug effects*; D018675:Toxicity Tests
chemical_list: D000098:Acetophenones; D006540:Herbicides; C403945:benzofenap