3-EPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Environmental Research
Laboratory
Duluth MN 55804
Research and Development
EPA-600/S3-82-053 Oct. 1982
Project Summary
Cadmium and Endrin Toxicity
to Fish in Waters Containing
Mineral Fibers
Anthony R. Carlson, James A. Tucker, Vincent R. Mattson, Gary L Phipps,
Philip M. Cook, Gayle F. Olson, and Frank A. Puglisi
Taconite tailings and their
component asbestiform minerals in
Lake Superior water had no
demonstrable effect on the chronic
toxicity of cadmium to the flagfish
Jordanella floridae. Maximum
acceptable toxicant concentrations
determined in life cycle tests, where
effects on survival, growth,
reproduction, and bioconcentration
were used as endpoints, were
between 3.3 to 7.4, 3.0 to 6.5, and
3.4 to 7.3 /jg cadmium/L at 0.004,
0.008, and 0.95 mg/L taconite
tailings concentrations, respectively.
Similarly, in two tests (XI and B)
exposing recently hatched fathead
minnows, Pimephales promelas, for
45 days to several concentrations of
endrin, taconite tailings had no
observable effect on survival, growth
and bioconcentration. No observable
effect concentrations (NOEC(s)) for
endrin at 0.02 mg/L taconite tailings
concentration were between 0.30 and
0.60 fjg/L for group A fish and 0.15
fjg/L for group B fish. At 0.05 mg/L
taconite tailings concentration, the
NOEC(s) were between 0.30and 0.60
fjg/L for group A fish and 0.15 and
0.30 yug/L for group B fish. At the
0.95 mg/L taconite tailings
concentration the NOEC(s) were
between 0.15 and 0.30 fjg/L for
group/1 fish and 0.30 and 60/ug/Lfor
group B fish.
This Project Summary was'
developed by EPA's Environmental
Research Laboratory, Duluth, MN. to
announce key findings of the research
project that is fully documented in a
separate report of the same title (see
Project Report ordering information at
back).
Introduction
Lake Superior is the source of the
experimental water supply at the
Environmental Research Laboratory
(ERL) of the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency located at Duluth,
Minnesota. The suspended solids
content of this water varies with
climatological conditions. It contains
diatom fragments, organic debris,
quartz particles, some clay minerals
and amphibole particles, ranging from
blocky cleavage fragments to asbesti-
form fibers. The source of these
amphibole particles has been traced to
the Reserve Mining Company.effluent
to the lake at Silver Bay, Minnesota.
These materials are'known as taconite
tailings.
The amphiboles are hydrated silicates
which include the commercially
important asbestos minerals: amosite,
crocidolite, anthophyllite, tremolite, and
actinolite. The predominant amphibole
present in the tailings fraction of the
suspended solids is cummingtonite-
grunerite [(Mg, Fe)7Si8022(OH)2] with
smaller amounts of tremolite-actinolite
and hornblende present. Commercial
amosite is an asbestiform cumming-
tonite-grunerite amphibole and is
ft U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 1M2 -559-017/0854
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nondistmguishable by present methods
of identification from many of the
asbestiform mineral fibers found in the
tailings fraction of suspended solids in
the lake water.
In general, little is known about the
long-term effects of suspended fine
particles, or, more specifically, the
asbestiform amphibole minerals in the
aquatic environment. It is not known
how fine particles, such as those
present in the tailings, influence the
long-term toxicity of a substance to fish,
yet such information is important in
establishing meaningful water quality
criteria
Daily analysis of amphibole (taconite
tailings) and suspended solids
concentrations in the Duluth water
supply were begun in 1973 at the ERL-
Duluth. Duluth's water intake is located
approximately 4 km up-currentfromthe
intake of ERL-Duluth's experimental
water supply and is similar in design
and placement in the lake. Intermittent
comparative measurements have
indicated that the taconite tailings
content of these water supplies were
similar, even though at times
suspended solid concentrations varied
considerably. The taconite tailings
concentration of the municipal water
supply, measured daily from March
1973 to January 1974, was used as a
guide in planning this study. The
average tailings concentration during
this period was 0.19 mg/L and ranged
from 0.04 to 0.8 mg/L; the total sus-
pended solid concentrations averaged
0.83 mg/L.
The purpose of this study was to
determine if the presence of the
taconite tailings in Lake Superior water
significantly alters the toxicity of an
inorganic (cadmium) and organic
(endrin) compound in fish.
Conclusions
The flagfish Jordanella floridae was
exposed to several concentrations of
cadmium throughout a life cycle and
effects on survival, growth,
reproduction, and bioconcentration
were used to determine maximum
acceptable toxicant concentrations
(MATC) at three taconite tailings
concentrations. It was concluded that
mean taconite tailing concentrations
ranging from 0.004 to 0.95 mg/L had no
demonstrable effect on the chronic
toxicity of cadmium to flagfish based on
MATC analysis. Similarly, in tests
exposing recently hatched fathead
minnows for 45 days to endrin, taconite
tailings concentrations ranging from
0.02 to 0.93 mg/L had no demonstrable
effect on endrin toxicity. There was also
no effect of taconite tailings on the
bioconcentration of cadmium or endrin
by the fish studied.
Information gained from these
toxicity tests in regard to direct effects of
taconite tailings was inconclusive.
Taconite tailings at concentrations
tested did not demonstrably alter the
effect threshold concentrations for
cadmium and endrin as determined by
previous experience in this laboratory.
The EPA authors Anthony R. Carlson (also the EPA Project Officer, see below),
James A. Tucker, Vincent R. Mattson, Gary L. Phipps. Philip M. Cook,
Gayle F. Olson, and Frank A. Puglisi are with the Environmental Research
Laboratory, Duluth, MN 55804.
The complete report, entitled "Cadmium and Endrin Toxicity to Fish in Waters
Containing Mineral Fibers." (Order No. PB 82-225 038; Cost: $7.50, subject
to change) will be available only from:
National Technical Information Service
5285 Port Royal Road
Springfield. VA, 22161
Telephone: 703-487-4650
The EPA Project Offi^e^can be contacted at:
Environmental Research Laboratory
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
6201 Congdon Blvd.
Duluth, MN 55804
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Center for Environmental Research
Information
Cincinnati OH 45268
Postage and
Fees Paid
Environmental
Protection
Agency
EPA 335
Official Business
Penalty for Private Use $300
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