A Novel Approach to Developing Thresholds for Total Dissolved Solids Using Standardized and Experimental Toxicity Test Methods.

The increasing salinization of freshwater streams from anthropogenic land uses and activities is a growing global environmental problem. Increases in individual ions (such as sodium or chloride) and combined measures such as total dissolved solids (TDS) threaten drinking water supplies, agricultural and economic interests, and the ecological health of freshwater streams. Because the toxicity of high ionic strength waters depends on the specific ion composition, few water quality standards exist to protect freshwater streams from salinization.

Direct and Delayed Mortality of Ceriodaphnia dubia and Rainbow Trout Following Time-Varying Acute Exposures to Zinc.

The potential for delayed mortality following short-term episodic pollution events was evaluated by exposing cladocerans (Ceriodaphnia dubia) and rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) to zinc (Zn) in various 1- to 48-h and 1- to 96-h exposures, respectively, followed by transferring the exposed organisms to clean water for up to 47 h for C. dubia and up to 95 h for trout for additional observation. For C.

Use of artificial stream mesocosms to investigate mercury uptake in the South River, Virginia, USA.

Mercury is a globally distributed pollutant that biomagnifies in aquatic food webs. In the United States, 4,769 water bodies fail to meet criteria for safe fish consumption due to mercury bioaccumulation. Although the majority of these water bodies are affected primarily by atmospheric deposition of mercury, legacy contamination from mining or industrial activities also contribute to fish consumption advisories for mercury.

Development of an empirical nonlinear model for mercury bioaccumulation in the South and South Fork Shenandoah rivers of Virginia.

Mercury is a globally distributed pollutant that biomagnifies in aquatic food webs. In the United States, 3781 water bodies fail to meet criteria for safe fish consumption due to mercury bioaccumulation. In the risk assessment and management of these impairments (through the total maximum daily load program), an important step is evaluating the relationship between aqueous mercury and mercury in fish tissue.