EPA-OW: Test Method 2021.0: Acute Toxicity Tests with Effluents and Receiving Waters using Daphnia

Summary
Analytes
Revision
Data and Sites

Official Method Name

Test Method 2021.0, Daphnia pulex and D. magna Acute Toxicity Tests with Effluents and Receiving Waters

Current Revision

Fifth Edition, October 2002

Media

WATER

Instrumentation

Toxicity

Method Subcategory

Acute Toxicity

Method Source

EPA-OW

Citation

Methods for Measuring the Acute Toxicity of Effluents and Receiving Waters to Freshwater and Marine Organisms. Fifth Edition, October 2002. EPA Volume 821-R-02-012

Brief Method Summary

Test type can be either static-renewal, static non-renewal, or flow-through. The selection of test type will depend on the NPDES permit requirements, the objectives of the test, the available resources, the requirements of the test organisms, and effluent characteristics such as fluctuations in effluent toxicity. Effluent acute toxicity is generally measured using a multi-concentration, or definitive test, consisting of a control and a minimum of five effluent concentrations.

Scope and Application

This manual describes acute toxicity tests for use in the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Permits Program to identify effluents and receiving waters containing toxic materials in acutely toxic concentrations. With the exception of the Holmesimysis costata Acute test, the methods included in this manual are referenced in Table 1A, 40 CFR Part 136 regulations and, therefore, constitute approved methods for acute toxicity tests. They are also suitable for determining the toxicity of specific compounds contained in discharges. The tests may be conducted in a central laboratory or on-site, by the regulatory agency or the permittee.

Applicable Concentration Range

Effluents: 5 and a control

Receiving waters: 100% receiving water and a control (recommended)

Interferences

None provided

Quality Control Requirements

Reference toxicant testing with control charts for each combination of toxicant, test species, test condition, and endpoint.

Sample Handling

It is reccommended that samples be held at 0 - 6degC until used.

Maximum Holding Time

36h

Relative Cost

Unknown

Sample Preparation Methods

Filtration, dechlorination

This method has 1 analyte associated with it.

Analyte	Detection Level	Bias	Precision	Pct False Positive	Pct False Negative	Spiking Level
Survival(X00008) Survival	N/A	N/A	N/A

Precision Descriptor Notes:	It is a laboratory's responsibility to demonstrate its ability to obtain consistent, precise results with reference toxicants before it performs toxicity tests with effluents for permit compliance purposes. To meet this requirement, the intra-laboratory precision, expressed as percent coefficient of variation, of each type of test to be used in a laboratory should be determined by performing five or more tests with different batches of test organisms using the same reference toxicant, at the same concentrations, with the same test conditions, and the same data analysis methods.
Detection Level Note:	N/A

Precision Descriptor Notes:

It is a laboratory's responsibility to demonstrate its ability to obtain consistent, precise results with reference toxicants before it performs toxicity tests with effluents for permit compliance purposes. To meet this requirement, the intra-laboratory precision, expressed as percent coefficient of variation, of each type of test to be used in a laboratory should be determined by performing five or more tests with different batches of test organisms using the same reference toxicant, at the same concentrations, with the same test conditions, and the same data analysis methods.

Detection Level Note:

N/A

Revision	PDF/Link
Fifth Edition, October 2002

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EPA-OW: Test Method 2021.0: Acute Toxicity Tests with Effluents and Receiving Waters using Daphnia

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