Acute toxicity of runoff from sealcoated pavement to Ceriodaphnia dubia and Pimephales promelas

Environ Sci Technol. 2015 Apr 21;49(8):5060-9. doi: 10.1021/acs.est.5b00933. Epub 2015 Apr 10.

Abstract

Runoff from coal-tar-based (CT) sealcoated pavement is a source of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and N-heterocycles to surface waters. We investigated acute toxicity of simulated runoff collected from 5 h to 111 days after application of CT sealcoat and from 4 h to 36 days after application of asphalt-based sealcoat containing about 7% CT sealcoat (AS/CT-blend). Ceriodaphnia dubia (cladocerans) and Pimephales promelas (fathead minnows) were exposed in the laboratory to undiluted and 1:10 diluted runoff for 48 h, then transferred to control water and exposed to 4 h of ultraviolet radiation (UVR). Mortality following exposure to undiluted runoff from unsealed asphalt pavement and UVR was ≤10% in all treatments. Test organisms exposed to undiluted CT runoff samples collected during the 3 days (C. dubia) or 36 days (P. promelas) following sealcoat application experienced 100% mortality prior to UVR exposure; with UVR exposure, mortality was 100% for runoff collected across the entire sampling period. Phototoxic-equivalent PAH concentrations and mortality demonstrated an exposure-response relation. The results indicate that runoff remains acutely toxic for weeks to months after CT sealcoat application.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cladocera / drug effects*
  • Coal Tar / toxicity*
  • Cyprinidae / physiology*
  • Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / analysis
  • Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / toxicity*
  • Water Pollutants, Chemical / toxicity*

Substances

  • Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons
  • Water Pollutants, Chemical
  • Coal Tar