Experiments using Daphnia to measure landfill leachate toxicity

Leachate from municipal refuse was analysed for acute toxicity using Daphnia pulex, rainbow trout ( Salmo gairdneri) and sockeye salmon ( Oncorhynchus nerka) as test organisms. Procedures used in conducting the daphnia bioassay are detailed. The 3 1 2 - year testing program was designed to compare daphnia bioassays with standard fish bioassays and residual oxygen bioassays (ROB). The results from the daphnia bioassays compared favourably with the standard fish bioassay results. No disadvantages could be seen in using daphnia rather than fish as test organisms for determining the acute toxicity of municipal refuse leachates. However, both financial and logistic advantages could be gained by using daphnia rather than fish.