Cu(II) acute toxicity to the rotifer Brachionus calyciflorus, as affected by fulvic acids of freshwater origin

• Published in: Environmental pollution (1987) Vol. 82; no. 3; pp. 263 - 267
• Main Authors: Porta, Atilio A., Ronco, Alicia E.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 1993; Elsevier
• Subjects: Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Applied ecology; Biological and medical sciences; Brachionus calyciflorus; complexation; copper toxicity; Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution; Fresh water environment; fulvic acids; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; toxicity inhibition; fulvic acids; copper toxicity; toxicity inhibition; Brachionus calyciflorus; complexation; Copper II; Freshwater environment; Complexation; Pollutant; Toxicity; Fulvic acid; Inhibition; Invertebrata; Rotifera; Heavy metal
• ISSN: 0269-7491; 1873-6424
• DOI: 10.1016/0269-7491(93)90128-B

Natural fulvic acids (FA) from the Rio Santiago, an affluent of the Rio de la Plata estuary, were isolated by adsorption on XAD-2 at pH 2, and were then characterized by IR and fluorescence spectra, acidity and complexing capacity to Cu(II). The effect of the interaction between FA and Cu(II) on the acute toxicity of this heavy metal was assayed with the rotifer Brachionus calyciflorus in standardized in-vitro tests. A CuSO 4.5H 2O concentration of 0·080 ppm produced 89·2% mortality in the absence of FA. At FA/Cu ratios ≥ 1 no mortality was observed. Based on the values of the FACu binding parameters and acute toxicity inhibition, it was possible to predict the effect of dissolved organic matter on the toxicity of copper in this surface freshwater body.