Ref ID : 6111
Paolo Madoni; The acute toxicity of nickel to freshwater ciliates. Environmental Pollution 109:53-59, 2000
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The acute toxicty of nickel to 12 species of freshwater ciliates was examined in laboratory tests. After exposing standard cultures of the ciliates to a soluble compound of nickel (NiCl2/6H2O) at several selected concentations close to the lethal limit for 24 hr, the mortality rate was registered and the LC50 values (with 95% confidence intervals) were calculated. Large differences appeared in sensitivities of the 12 species to the metal. Ciliated protozoa such as Spirostomum teres (0.17 mgNi l-1, 24-hr LC50) and Paramecium bursaria (0.36 mgNi l-1, 24-hr LC50) showed the highest sensitivity to the nickel, while Euplotes patella (7.7 mgNi l-1, 24-hr LC50) was the most tolerant species. A comparison of these results with data obtained for other heavy metals indicates that S. teres is an excellent and convenient bioindicator for evaluating the toxicity of waters polluted by heavy metals.