Toxicity of water and sediments to Pаramecium caudatum and Chironomus riparius in model experiments with oil contamination

Abstract

Results of the model experiments with oil addition to the water-sediment system showed that essential role in process of oil distribution between water and solid phase belongs to sorption capacity of sediments. With increasing sorption characteristics of sediments oil redistributes toward solid phase therethrough reducing water toxicity to Paramecium caudatum and Chironomus riparius. Toxicity of silty sediment was higher then sandy one unlike water phase where toxicity was higher in sandy sediment system due to the presence of aliphatic and policycling fractions of hydrocarbons in water.