A national survey of trace organic contaminants in Australian rivers.

Trace organic contaminant (TrOC) studies in Australia have, to date, focused on wastewater effluents, leaving a knowledge gap of their occurrence and risk in freshwater environments. This study measured 42 TrOCs including industrial compounds, pesticides, and pharmaceuticals and personal care products by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry at 73 river sites across Australia quarterly for 1 yr. Trace organic contaminants were found in 92% of samples, with a median of three compounds detected per sample (maximum 18).

An assessment of endocrine activity in Australian rivers using chemical and in vitro analyses.

Studies on endocrine disruption in Australia have mainly focused on wastewater effluents. Limited knowledge exists regarding the relative contribution of different potential sources of endocrine active compounds (EACs) to the aquatic environment (e.g.

Derivation of predicted No-effect concentrations for lindane, 3, 4-dichloroaniline, atrazine, and copper.

Environmental risk assessment is a key feature of regulations controlling the placing of new, and the maintenance of existing, chemicals products in the market place. For example, European Commission Directive 93/67/EC on Risk Assessment for New Notified Substances and Commission Regulation (EC) No. 1488/94 on Risk Assessment for Existing Substances requires that risk assessments be carried out for new and existing substances in the European Community.

The acute toxicity of lindane to hyalella azteca and the development of a sublethal bioassay based on precopulatory guarding behavior.

Acute and sublethal toxicity of the organochlorine insecticide lindane to the amphipod crustacean Hyalella azteca was investigated. Acute experiments were conducted for a maximum test exposure period of 240 h with adult and neonate H. azteca.

The influence of fresh water pollutants and interaction with Asellus aquaticus (L.) on the feeding activity of Gammarus pulex (L.).

The feeding response of juvenile amphipod Gammarus pulex (L.) was investigated following exposure to freshwater pollutants. The method employed is nondestructive, provides a rapid indication of the status of groups of individuals, and is based on a time-response analysis of the consumption of the eggs of Artemia salina and the determination of median feeding times or FT50s.