Table 9.05: Toxicity of selenium to freshwater algae and macrophytes

Species

Life Stage

Data type

Chemical

Hardness (mg/L as CaCO₃)

Other Measured Parameters

Conc. in water (mg/L)

Effect

Reference

Anabaena cylindrica

-

-

selenite

-

-

24.000

14-d, reduced growth

Moede et al., 1980

(blue green algae)

-

-

selenate

-

-

22.100

14-d, reduced growth

Anabaena flos-aquae (blue-green algae

-

F,M,1

selenite

-

-

3.000

10-d study, significant effect on chlorophyll a formation algal tissue selenium levels =1071.0 ug Se/g

Kiffney and Knight, 1990

-

F,M,1

selenate

-

-

3.000

10-d study, significant effect on chlorophyll a formation algal tissue selenium levels =743.50 ug Se/g

-

F,M,1

selenite

-

-

5.000

10-d study, significantly impairs chlorophyll a formation-results indicate complete inhibition; algal tissue selenium levels = 6072.0 ug Se/g

-

F,M,1

selenate

-

-

5.000

10-d study, significantly impairs chlorophyll a formation-results indicate complete inhibition; algal tissue selenium levels = 1217.7 ug Se/g

-

F,M,1

selenite

-

-

10.000

10-d study, significantly impairs chlorophyll a formation-results indicate complete inhibition; algal tissue selenium levels = 9365.2 ug Se/g

-

F,M,1

selenate

-

-

10.000

10-d study, significantly impairs chlorophyll a formation-results indicate complete inhibition; algal tissue selenium levels = 1312.7 ug Se/g

-

F,M,1

seleno-L-methionine

-

-

0.100

10-d study, significant effect on chlorophyll a formation algal tissue selenium levels =1956.6 ug Se/g

-

F,M,1

seleno-L-methionine

-

-

0.300

10-d study, significantly impairs chlorophyll a formation; algal tissue selenium levels = 3658.8 ug Se/g

-

-

selenite

-

-

4.000

96-h EC₅₀, decrease in cell division

Davis et al., 1988

-

-

selenate

-

-

5.000

96-h EC₅₀, decrease in cell division

-

-

selenomethionine

-

-

0.300

96-h EC₅₀, decrease in cell division

Anabaena nidulans (blue-green algae)

-

-

selenite

-

-

50.000

21% decrease in cell divisions

Davis et al., 1988

-

-

selenate

-

-

50.000

24% decrease in cell divisions

Anabaena variabilis

-

-

selenite

-

-

15.000

6-18-d LC₅₀

Kumar and Prakash, 1971

(blue-green algae)

-

-

selenate

-

-

17.000

10-18-d EC₅₀

-

-

-

-

-

15.000-17.000

96-h LC₅₀

Anacystis nidulans

-

-

selenite

-

-

30.000

10-18-d EC₅₀

Kumar and Prakash, 1971

(blue-green algae)

-

-

selenate

-

-

39.000

6-18-d LC₅₀

-

-

-

-

-

4.000-30.000

96-h LC₅₀

Ankistrodesmus falcatus

-

-

selenate

-

-

0.010

decrease in cell division

Davis et al., 1988

Chlorella vulgaris (green alga)

-

-

selenite

-

-

5.480

90-120-d, reduced growth

De Jong, 1965

Euglena gracilis (algae)

-

-

-

-

-

5.920

15-d, reduced growth

Bariaud and Mestre, 1984

Lemna minor (duckweed)

-

-

-

-

-

2.400

96-h EC₅₀, measurable change in length and/or weight of test organism

Wang, 1986

Microcoleus vaginatus (blue-green algae)

-

-

selenate

-

-

10.000

14-d, reduced growth

Vocke et al., 1980

Microcystis aeruginisa (blue-green algae)

-

-

selenite

-

-

9.400

8-d, incipient inhibition

Bringmann and Kuhn, 1976; 1978a,b

mixed population (diatoms)

-

-

selenite

-

-

11.000

18-d, inhibited growth

Patrick et al., 1975

Oedogonium cardiacum (algae)

-

-

-

-

-

<0.100

48-h LC₅₀

Nassos et al., 1980

Scenedesmus dimorphus

-

-

selenite

-

-

24.000

14-d, reduced growth

Moede et al., 1980

(green algae)

-

-

selenate

-

-

22.100

14-d, reduced growth

-

-

selenite

-

-

40.000

100% decrease in cell division

Davis et al., 1988

-

-

selenate

-

-

40.000

100% decrease in cell division

Scenedesmus obliquus (green algae)

-

-

selenate

-

-

0.100

14-d, reduced growth

Vocke et al., 1980

Scenedesmus ovadricavda (green alga)

-

-

selenite

-

-

2.500

96-h, incipient inhibition (river water)

Bringmann and Kuhn, 1959a,b

Selenastrum capricornutum (freshwater green alga)

-

-

-

-

-

99.000

72-h EC₅₀, measurable change in length and/or weight of test organism

Ibrahim and Spacie, 1990

-

-

-

-

-

96.000

96-h EC₅₀, measurable change in length and/or weight of test organism

-

-

-

-

-

7.930

96-h EC₅₀, change in plant productivity indicated by change in 14C or CO2 uptake or oxygen production

-

-

-

-

-

75.000

5-d EC₅₀, measurable change in length and/or weight of test organism

-

-

-

-

-

65.000

6-d EC₅₀, measurable change in length and/or weight of test organism

Selenastrum capricornutum (freshwater green alga) (cont.)

-

-

selenite

-

-

0.075

72-h, decreased dry wt and chlorophyl a

Foe and Knight, Manuscript

-

-

selenite

-

-

2.900

4-d EC₅₀

Richter, 1982

-

-

selenate

-

-

0.199

4-d EC₅₀

-

-

selenate

-

-

0.300

14-d, reduced growth

Vocke et al., 1980

-

-

4% selenite and 96% selenate

-

-

0.100

96-h, varying conc. of S showed that at 3.3 mg S/L algal Se level was 156.0 ppm dry wt and algal biomass was decreased

Williams et al., 1994

-

-

4% selenite and 96% selenate

-

-

0.100

96-h, varying conc. of S showed that at 33.0 mg S/L algal Se level was 11.0 ppm dry wt and algal biomass was decreased

-

-

selenite

-

-

0.100

20% decrease in cell division

Davis et al., 1988

KEY

LC = Lethal Concentration

M = Measured

EC- Effective Concentration

N = Nominal

S = Static Test Method

1 = Primary

F = Flowthrough Test Method

2 = Secondary