Toxicity of Chloride Under Winter Low-Flow Conditions in an Urban Watershed in Central Missouri, USA

• Published in: Bulletin of environmental contamination and toxicology Vol. 89; no. 2; pp. 296 - 301
• Main Authors: Allert, Ann L., Cole-Neal, Cavelle L., Fairchild, James F.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer-Verlag 01.08.2012; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Adults; Animals; Aquatic life; Aquatic organisms; Aquatic Pollution; Calcium chloride; Chemicals; Chlorides; Chlorides - toxicity; Cladocera - drug effects; Cladocera - growth & development; Creeks; Creeks & streams; Criteria; Deicers; Earth and Environmental Science; Ecotoxicology; Environment; Environmental Chemistry; Environmental Health; Environmental Monitoring - methods; Environmental protection; Low flow; Macroinvertebrates; Missouri; Nonpoint source pollution; Point source pollution; Pollution; Reproduction; Rivers - chemistry; Seasons; Snow; Snowmelt; Sodium chloride; Soil Science & Conservation; Streams; Survival; Toxicity; Toxicity Tests; United States; United States Environmental Protection Agency; Urban Population; Urban watersheds; Waste Water Technology; Water Management; Water Movements; Water Pollutants, Chemical - toxicity; Water pollution; Water Pollution Control; Water Quality; Watersheds; United States; Missouri; Urban streams; Chloride toxicity; Snowmelt
• ISSN: 0007-4861; 1432-0800
• DOI: 10.1007/s00128-012-0673-0

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 303(d) list of impaired waters and is classified as impaired due to urban non-point source pollution. A 7-day 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 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency chronic criterion (230 mg Cl/L). Survival (30 %) and total reproduction (6.9 young/adult) of C. dubia at Site 6 was significantly lower than survival (100 %) and total reproduction (30.4 young/adult) at Site 1 (reference site). Results indicate that chloride concentrations are elevated above water-quality criteria and that chloride may be a significant chemical stressor for macroinvertebrate communities during winter low-flow conditions in the Hinkson Creek watershed.