Hattula, ML; Wasenius, VM; Reunanen, H; Arstila, AU
PESTAB. The acute toxicities of 2,4-dichlorophenol, 2,6-dichlorophenol, 2,3,5-trichlorophenol, 2,4,5-trichlorophenol, 2,3,4,6-tetrachlorophenol, pentachlorophenol (PCP), 3,5-dichlorocatechol, 4,5-dichlorocatechol, 3,4,5,6-tetrachlorocatechol, 5-chloro- 3-methylcatechol, 3-chloro-o-cresol, 4-chloro-o-cresol, and 4-chloro-m-cresol to trout were determined. The lowest lethal concentration of the compounds studies was 0.20 ppm caused by PCP, tetrachloro- and trichlorophenols. The cresols were lethal in concentrations of 1-2 ppm. Lethal concentrations for catechols were somewhat higher. The lethal catechol dose in tissue was 6-10 mg/kg; the corresponding value for higher phenols was about 200 mg/kg. The median lethal dose for chlorinated catechols was 1-3 ppm depending on the compound; the median lethal dose for trichlorophenols was of the same order of magnitude. In order to obtain information regarding the toxic effects of pulp mill effluents, it is recommended that both acute and chronic experiments with fish and crustaceans should be carried out by testing several compounds together and as they appear in natural conditions.
