Comparison of the sensitivity to heavy metals and pentachlorophenol of the mayfliesDeleatidiumspp. and the cladoceranDaphnia magna

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Abstract
A laboratory testing protocol has been established for the mayfly Deleatidium spp. This involves incubation of organisms for 96 h at 15°C with continuous aeration. Under these conditions EC50 concentrations for Deleatidium were similar to those for the cladoceran Daphnia magna (48 h test) for four heavy metal toxicants (Cd2+, Cr6+, Cu2+, and Zn2+ ) and one organic compound (pentachlorophenol). The EC50 concentration for Zn2+ was, however, markedly higher for Deleatidium, indicating lower sensitivity. Deleatidium showed a strong increase in sensitivity with increasing exposure time, suggesting that the organism may be relatively insensitive to short‐term (< 24 h) elevations in heavy‐metal concentrations. Comparison with published data for other riverine invertebrates and fish suggests that Deleatidium is among the more sensitive species.