toxicity of hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine (RDX) to the freshwater green alga Selenastrum capricornutum

• Published in: Water, air, and soil pollution Vol. 76; no. 3/4; pp. 449 - 457
• Main Authors: Burton, D.T, Turley, S.D, Peters, G.T
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer 01-01-1994
• Subjects: Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Applied ecology; Biological and medical sciences; Chlorophycota; Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution; Effects of pollution and side effects of pesticides on plants and fungi; explosives; Freshwater; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; phytotoxicity; Selenastrum capricornutum; triazines; Nitro compound; Military installation; Bioassay; Ecotoxicology; Algae; Chlorophycophyta; Biological indicator; Selenastrum capricornutum; Freshwater environment; Chemical pollution; Phytotoxicity; Triazine derivatives; Water quality; Munition plant; Explosives; Water pollution; Microorganism; Pollutant effect; Xenobiotic; Thallophyta
• ISSN: 0049-6979; 1573-2932
• DOI: 10.1007/BF00482717

The potential toxicity of the explosive RDX (hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine) to freshwater algae was investigated to provide quantitative data to establish a U.S. EPA numerical water quality criterion value. The green alga Selenastrum capricornutum was selected as a standard algal test species. RDX was not acutely toxic to the test species when tested at the solubility limit of the compound in algal assay media. A maximal reduction of 38 per cent in cell density occurred after a 96 h exposure to an RDX concentration of 36.7 mg per litre. The lowest-observed-effect concentration was 4.8 mg per litre, while the no-observed-effect concentration was 0.5 mg per litre.