Short CommunicationAssessment of the acute toxicity of textile effluent against Clibanarius Africanus (Decapoda: Paguridae) and Poecilia Reticulata (Teleostei: Poecilidae)

Abstract

Static assessment of the acute toxicity of textile effluent against hermit crab Clibanarius afrianus and fish Poecilia reticulata was conducted in the laboratory. The effluent was found to be differentially toxic to the test species, the computed 96h LC₅₀ values being 333.311 ml/l and 70.711 ml/l for C. africanus and P. reticulata, respectively. It was more toxic against P. reticulata than C. africanus. Computed toxicity factor/ratio based on the 96h LC₅₀ values indicated that P. reticulata was 4.7 times more sensitive than C. africanus when tested against the textile effluent. The physical and chemical characteristics of the textile effluent were much higher than the prescribed effluent limitation standards for the OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development). The BOD and COD were 6 and 3 times, respectively, higher than the respective values of 20 mg/l and 80 mg/l, prescribed as limitation standards.

Keywords/phrases: Acute toxicity, Clibanarius africanus, Poecilia reticulata, Textile effluent

Ethiop. J. Biol. Sci., 8(1): 79-84, 2009