COMPARISON OF THE 10-DAY FRESH-WATER SEDIMENT TOXICITY TESTS USING HYALELLA-AZTECA AND CHRONOMUS TENTANS

Comparisons were made of the performance of the 10-d freshwater sediment toxicity tests using the amphipod Hyalella azteca and midge Chironomus tentans. Sediments were collected from eight stations in Onondaga Lake, New York, and represented a wide range of toxicity. The biological end points were survival, biomass, and body length. The two tests were compared on the basis of correspondence among relative values of the end points and ability to statistically discriminate adverse effects relative to control responses (i.e., discriminatory ability). Minimum detectable differences (MDDs) and adverse response ranges of the end points were used to further evaluate the discriminatory ability of the end points. Relative responses and discriminatory abilities of the end points of both tests were similar, despite numerous differences that exist among characteristics of the test species and end points. Significant concordance was found among all end points with respect to relative toxicity of sediments from the eight stations. Although MDDs and adverse response ranges of the various end points differed substantially, the observed positive correlation between those two variables resulted in all end points having similar discriminatory ability. Although amphipod biomass and body length have rarely been used as end points in 10-d tests, both end points provided results comparable to those of the other end points evaluated in the present study.