Relative sensitivity of algae, bacteria, invertebrates, and fish to phenol: Analysis of 234 tests conducted for more than 149 species

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Abstract
An analysis was conducted to estimate the relative sensitivities of algae, bacteria, fish, and invertebrates to one chemical—phenol. Results from 234 studies to estimate the toxicity (EC50 or LC50 value) of phenol to 1 rotifer, 3 algal species, 4 leech species, 9 worm species, 12 fish species, 13 water mite species, 20 bivalve species, 22 crustacean species, greater than 26 bacterial species, and 39 insect species were analyzed to estimate relative, not absolute, sensitivities within and between species and between groups of species.EC50 values from conducting ten 5‐min Microtox® tests were very similar as were EC50 values from conducting two activated sludge respiration inhibition tests. Three‐fold and thirty‐fold differences were observed for two 120‐min Motility and two Oxygen‐depletion tests, respectively. Most of the fish within‐species variability could be accounted for by differences in test temperatures. Most of the invertebrate within‐species variability could be accounted for by lab‐to‐lab or test‐to‐test variability.Differences between bacterial tests to measure five physiological endpoints (bioluminescence, respiration, growth, dehydrogenase, motility) were estimated. Differences between the EC50 values for the two tests to measure bioluminescence were significant. However, none of the mean EC50 values from tests to measure five physiological end‐points appeared to be significantly different. Mean LC50 values from conducting fish tests were compared; only the rainbow trout and fathead minnow were significantly different.A comparison of relative species sensitivity suggested that bluegills, daphnids, fathead minnows, featherbacks, giant gourami grass shrimp, guppies, P. phosphoreum in the 5‐min Microtox® test or rainbow trout were among the more sensitive species to the acute effects of phenol. A comparison of groups of species suggested that caddisfly or dragonfly larvae, crustaceans, daphnids, fish, shrimp and water fleas were among the more sensitive species groups to the acute effects of phenol.