Authors: Ann L Allert Cavelle L ColeNeal James F Fairchild
Publish Date: 2012/05/23
Volume: 89, Issue: 2, Pages: 296-301
Abstract
Deicers such as sodium chloride and calcium chloride are used to treat snow and ice on road surfaces and have been identified as potential stressors on aquatic life Hinkson Creek is an urban stream on the Missouri 303d list of impaired waters and is classified as impaired due to urban nonpoint source pollution A 7day toxicity test using Ceriodaphnia dubia was conducted to assess the toxicity of stream water during snowmelt at seven sites within the Hinkson Creek watershed Chloride concentrations at two sites Site 6 1252 mg Cl/L Site 4 301 mg Cl/L exceeded the US Environmental Protection Agency chronic criterion 230 mg Cl/L Survival 30 and total reproduction 69 young/adult of C dubia at Site 6 was significantly lower than survival 100 and total reproduction 304 young/adult at Site 1 reference site Results indicate that chloride concentrations are elevated above waterquality criteria and that chloride may be a significant chemical stressor for macroinvertebrate communities during winter lowflow conditions in the Hinkson Creek watershed
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