Toxicological responses of red-backed salamanders (Plethodon cinereus) to subchronic soil exposures of 2,4-dinitrotoluene.
Dinitrotoluenes are used as propellants and in explosives by the military and as such have been found at relatively high concentrations in the soil. To determine whether concentrations of 2,4-dinitrotoluene (2,4-DNT) in soil are toxic to amphibians, 100 red-backed salamanders (Plethodon cinereus) were exposed to either 1500, 800, 200, 75 or 0mg 2,4-DNT/kg soil for 28 days and evaluated for indicators of toxicity. Concentrations of 2,4-DNT were less than targets and varied with time. Most salamanders exposed to concentrations exceeding 1050 mg/kg died or were moribund within the first week. Salamanders exposed to soil concentrations exceeding 345 mg/kg lost >6% of their body mass though no mortality occurred. Overt effects included a reduction in feed consumption and an increase in bucco-pharyngeal oscillations in salamanders. These results suggest that only high soil concentrations of 2,4-DNT have the potential to cause overtly toxic effects in terrestrial salamanders.
Johnson
Mark S
MS
US Army Center for Health Promotion and Preventive Medicine, Health Effects Research Program, MCHB-TS-THE, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD 21010-5403, USA. mark.s.johnson@us.army.mil
Suski
Jamie
J
Bazar
Matthew A
MA
D000818:Animals; D001772:Blood Cell Count; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D004136:Dinitrobenzenes / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity*; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D012987:Soil / Q000032:analysis; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity*; D014562:Caudata / Q000502:physiology*
D004136:Dinitrobenzenes; D012987:Soil; D012989:Soil Pollutants; C016403:2,4-dinitrotoluene