PT13 Aquatic Ecotoxicology I
Exhibit Hall
8:00 AM - Tuesday
(PT169) Toxicity of a hydrogen peroxide-based decontamination solution in water and soil extracts.
Haley, M1, Kurnas, C1, Checkai, R1, 1 U. S. Army Edgewood Chemical Biological Center, APG, MD, USA
ABSTRACT- The U.S. Army has developed a hydrogen peroxide-based decontaminating solution, Decon Green (DG), effective against chemical as well as biological agents. The components of the decon solution are less hazardous to the end-user than standard decon solutions that are in the current inventory. Toxicity data exist on individual components of DG, however toxicity data on the mixture is lacking. Since a principal component of the DG mixture is hydrogen peroxide, it was assumed that the primary toxicity of DG would be reduced and possibly eliminated after relatively short exposure or contact with soil. Therefore toxicity studies were conducted as direct amendments of DG into water, and into soil. Aquatic organisms were exposed directly to the water amended with DG. Soils amended with DG were subjected to an Adapted Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure (ATCLP) in order to produce exposure solutions. In addition, we performed corresponding toxicity investigations using DG solution that was allowed to age with intermittent stirring until visible bubbles from hydrogen peroxide activity had ceased. We adapted standard aquatic toxicity methods using, Daphnia magna and Vibrio fischeri for acute toxicity screening. We selected Ceriodaphnia dubia as the primary bioassay organism for conducting 7-day survival and reproduction studies. Overall, Vibrio fischeri was less sensitive to DG than D. magna and C. dubia by approximately one order of magnitude. Preliminary data indicate that the 5-min EC50 for Vibrio fischeri was 200 ppm (vol/vol), and the 48-hr EC50 for D. magna and C. dubia were 26 and 25 ppm (vol/vol), respectively; IC50 for C. dubia exposed to DG directly amended into water was 28 ppm (vol/vol), while the IC50 for C. dubia exposed to extracts of soils amended with GD was 2400 ppm (mass/mass; in soil). Based on acute aquatic toxicity, DG was less toxic to these organisms than traditional decontamination solutions.
Key words: decon green, aquatic toxicity, Ceriodaphnia dubia, Daphnia magna