title: Mercury toxicity to freshwater organisms: extrapolation using species sensitivity distribution.
abstract: Mercury toxicity to aquatic organisms was evaluated in different taxonomic groups showing the following species sensitivity gradient: Daphnia magna > Daphnia longispina > Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata > Chlorella vulgaris > Lemna minor > Chironomus riparius. Toxicity values ranged from 3.49 μg/L (48 h-EC₅₀ of D. magna) to 1.58 mg/L (48 h-EC₅₀ of C. riparius). A species sensitivity distribution was used to estimate hazardous mercury concentration at 5 % level (HC5) and the predicted no effect concentration (PNEC). The HC5 was 3.18 μg Hg/L and the PNEC varied between 0.636 and 3.18 μg Hg/L, suggesting no risk of acute toxicity to algae, plants, crustaceans and insects in most freshwaters.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology and CESAM, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal. rodrigues.a@ua.pt
authors.forename: Andreia C M
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Rodrigues
authors.forename: Fátima T
authors.initials: FT
authors.lastname: Jesus
authors.forename: Marco A F
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Fernandes
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Morgado
authors.forename: Amadeu M V M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Soares
authors.forename: Sizenando N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Abreu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D059001:Aquatic Organisms / Q000187:drug effects*; D029064:Araceae / Q000187:drug effects; D002683:Chironomidae / Q000187:drug effects; D048408:Chlorella vulgaris / Q000187:drug effects; D000460:Chlorophyta / Q000187:drug effects; D003621:Daphnia / Q000187:drug effects; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005618:Fresh Water / Q000737:chemistry; D008628:Mercury / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D013045:Species Specificity; D023382:Toxicity Tests, Acute; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D008628:Mercury