title: Toxicity of ammonia nitrogen to ciliated protozoa Stentor coeruleus and Coleps hirtus isolated from activated sludge of wastewater treatment plants.
abstract: We assessed the toxicity of ammonia ions to Stentor coeruleus and Coleps hirtus (Protozoa) isolated from activated sludge taken from two municipal wastewater treatment plants in southern Poland. Stentor coeruleus is a rarely occurring species in activated sludge, unlike the widespread Coleps hirtus. The mean LC50 values (concentration causing 50 % mortality) calculated for the 24 h tests differed hugely between the tested species: 43.03 mg NH(4+) dm(-3) for Stentor coeruleus and 441.12 mg NH(4+) dm(-3) for Coleps hirtus. The ammonia ion concentration apparently is an important factor in the occurrence of these protozoan species in activated sludge.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Environmental Sciences, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 7, 30-387 Kraków, Poland. beata.klimek@uj.edu.pl
authors.forename: Beata
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Klimek
authors.forename: Janusz
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fyda
authors.forename: Agnieszka
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pajdak-Stós
authors.forename: Wioleta
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Kocerba
authors.forename: Edyta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Fiałkowska
authors.forename: Mateusz
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sobczyk
mesh_terms: D000641:Ammonia / Q000633:toxicity*; D016798:Ciliophora / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D011044:Poland; D012722:Sewage / Q000737:chemistry / Q000469:parasitology*; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid; D062065:Wastewater / Q000737:chemistry / Q000469:parasitology*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D000641:Ammonia; D012722:Sewage; D062065:Wastewater; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical