Common insecticide disrupts aquatic communities: A mesocosm-to-field ecological risk assessment of fipronil and its degradates in U.S. streams.

ABSTRACT: Insecticides in streams are increasingly a global concern, yet information on safe concentrations for aquatic ecosystems is sparse. In a 30-day mesocosm experiment exposing native benthic aquatic invertebrates to the common insecticide fipronil and four degradates, fipronil compounds caused altered emergence and trophic cascades. Effect concentrations eliciting a 50% response (EC₅₀) were developed for fipronil and its sulfide, sulfone, and desulfinyl degradates; taxa were insensitive to fipronil amide. Hazard concentrations for 5% of affected species derived from up to 15 mesocosm EC₅₀ values were used to convert fipronil compound concentrations in field samples to the sum of toxic units (∑TU_Fipronils). Mean ∑TU_Fipronils exceeded 1 (indicating to

SUBMITTER: Miller JL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7608825 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature