Acute Toxicity Assays with Adult Coral Fragments: A Method for Standardization
David Brefeld,
Valentina Di Mauro,
Matthias Y. Kellermann,
Samuel Nietzer,
Mareen Moeller,
Laura H. Lütjens,
Sascha Pawlowski,
Mechtild Petersen-Thiery,
Peter J. Schupp
Affiliations
David Brefeld
Environmental Biochemistry Group, Institute for Chemistry and Biology of the Marine Environment (ICBM), School of Mathematics and Science, Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg, Ammerländer Heerstraße 114-118, 26129 Oldenburg, Germany
Valentina Di Mauro
Environmental Biochemistry Group, Institute for Chemistry and Biology of the Marine Environment (ICBM), School of Mathematics and Science, Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg, Ammerländer Heerstraße 114-118, 26129 Oldenburg, Germany
Matthias Y. Kellermann
Environmental Biochemistry Group, Institute for Chemistry and Biology of the Marine Environment (ICBM), School of Mathematics and Science, Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg, Ammerländer Heerstraße 114-118, 26129 Oldenburg, Germany
Samuel Nietzer
Environmental Biochemistry Group, Institute for Chemistry and Biology of the Marine Environment (ICBM), School of Mathematics and Science, Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg, Ammerländer Heerstraße 114-118, 26129 Oldenburg, Germany
Mareen Moeller
Environmental Biochemistry Group, Institute for Chemistry and Biology of the Marine Environment (ICBM), School of Mathematics and Science, Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg, Ammerländer Heerstraße 114-118, 26129 Oldenburg, Germany
Laura H. Lütjens
Department of Product Safety, Regulatory Ecotoxicology, BASF SE, Carl-Bosch-Straße 38, 67056 Ludwigshafen am Rhein, Germany
Sascha Pawlowski
Department of Product Safety, Regulatory Ecotoxicology, BASF SE, Carl-Bosch-Straße 38, 67056 Ludwigshafen am Rhein, Germany
Mechtild Petersen-Thiery
Product Stewardship and EHS Data Management, BASF Personal Care and Nutrition GmbH, Rheinpromenade 1, 40789 Monheim am Rhein, Germany
Peter J. Schupp
Environmental Biochemistry Group, Institute for Chemistry and Biology of the Marine Environment (ICBM), School of Mathematics and Science, Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg, Ammerländer Heerstraße 114-118, 26129 Oldenburg, Germany
Coral reefs are globally declining due to various anthropogenic stressors. Amongst those, chemical pollutants, such as pesticides from agricultural runoff, sewage or an overabundance of personal care products in coastal waters due to intense tourism, may be considered as a local stressor for reef-building corals. The extent to which such chemicals exhibit toxic effects towards corals at environmentally relevant concentrations is currently controversially discussed and existing studies are often based on varying and sometimes deficient test methods. To address this uncertainty, we adapted available methods into a reliable and comprehensive acute coral toxicity test method for the reef-building coral Montipora digitata. The toxicities of the four substances benzophenone-3 (BP-3), Diuron (DCMU), copper (Cu2+ as CuCl2, positive control) and dimethylformamide (DMF, solvent) were assessed in a 96 h semi-static test design. Endpoints such as maximum quantum yield, bleaching, tissue loss and mortality were evaluated with respect to their suitability for regulatory purposes. Overall, the endpoints bleaching and mortality yielded sensitive and robust results for the four tested substances. As the test method follows the principles of internationally standardized testing methods (ISO, OECD), it can be considered suitable for further validation and standardization. Once validated, a standardized test method will help to obtain reproducible toxicity results useful for marine hazard and risk assessment and regulatory decision making.
