The Effect of Tannery Effluent on the Colonization Rate of Plankters: A Microcosm Study

Authors: YALAVARTHI NAGA KOTESWARI, RAVICHANDRAN RAMANIBAI

Abstract: The present study describes a multispecies toxicity test that uses community level responses of plankton samples from a natural lake using polyurythane foam (PF) as artificial substrate. These substrates were suspended and left for a period of 14 days. Colonized substrates were then placed in a series of microcosms dosed with a gradient of tannery effluent from 1 to 15% concentration. The species composition and abundance of the planktonic communities in PF substrate with the exposure of 4 different concentration of tannery effluent (1%, 3%, 5% and 15%) were assessed on days 1, 3, 7, 14, 21 and 28. Species diversity and abundance in colonized PF substrate showed a significant difference in different effluent treatments. Similarly, an inverse relationship was noted between effluent dosage and species surviving in source PF substrate at the end of the experiment period.

Keywords: Microcosm, toxicity, colonization rate, sensitivity, endpoints

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