Toxicity of Ordnance Wastes in Aquatic Environments

Bioassay toxicity testing was completed on non-biodegraded picric acid, Otto fuel and Noset A using Daphnia sp. and a fish species. The compounds tested were of relatively low toxicity compared to many industrial compounds such as pesticides, poly-chlorinated biphenyls, and some heavy metals. The LC50/ 48 for Daphnia was approximately 65 ppm in picric acid, about 200 ppm in Otto fuel and about 600 ppm in Noset A. For stickleback(fish) average LC50/96 values were 76, 26, and 236 ppm respectively. Based on the fish numbers and pervious algal toxicity tests in this research, preliminary effluent guidelines are recommended as follows: Picric acid should follow local effluent standards for phenols eg. 0.5 ml/l as in some California areas!. Otto fuel and Noset A levels around 0.5 mg/l and 30mg/l appear to be reasonable until further testing is completed on the toxicity of bio-degradation products of these materials. Guidelines for fuels should specify, however, that the fuels be in true aqueous solution, or very finely dispersed, rather than being in insoluble globular forms in effluent streams.