A series of molluscicides was evaluated for toxicity against the zebra mussel, Dreissena polymorpha, and a nontarget invertebrate, Chironomus riparius. The toxicity tests were conducted in standard reference water held at 22°C for 24 hr. All compounds tested were toxic to zebra mussels although toxicity varied substantially among the compounds tested. Several compounds [TFM (3-trifluoromethyl-4-nitrophenol), Salicylanilide I, Bayer 73 (2,5-dichloro-4-nitrosalicylanilide or DCNS) and KCl (potassium chloride)] were significantly more toxic to zebra mussels than to midges. However, rotenone and PCP (pentachlorophenol) were more toxic to the nontarget organism than to zebra mussels. Also evaluated in this study were the effects of culturing techniques on the suitability of zebra mussels for toxicity testing. The data suggest that the number of days that it takes for the mussel to reattach to glass petri dishes after their byssal threads have been severed provides a reasonable criterion for assessing suitability for testing.

Subject
Chemical compounds, Test methods, Water, Materials, Viability, Glass, Toxicity, Suitability, Stress, Chlorine, Potassium chloride, Maintenance, Risk reduction
Keywords:
zebra mussels, midges, control, molluscicides, selectivity
© 1992 Association for Materials Protection and Performance (AMPP). All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of AMPP. Positions and opinions advanced in this work are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of AMPP. Responsibility for the content of the work lies solely with the author(s).
1992
Association for Materials Protection and Performance (AMPP)
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