An algae population model was applied to describe measured effects of pulsed exposure to chlorotoluron on populations of Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata in 2 laboratory flow-through chemostat tests with different exposure regimes. Both tests enabled evaluation of adverse effects on algae during the exposure and population recovery afterward. Impacts on population densities after chlorotoluron exposure were directly visible as biomass loss in the chemostats. Recovery was observed after each exposure peak. The test results indicate that P. subcapitata is unlikely to show an increased sensitivity to chlorotoluron after pulsed exposure. No altered response or adaptation of the algae to chlorotoluron was observed, with the exception of the last high peak in flow-through test 2. Therefore, an adaptation to the test substance cannot be excluded after long-term exposure. However, recovery to the steady-state level after this peak indicates that the growth rate (fitness) was not significantly reduced in the population with higher tolerance. No differences in chlorotoluron impact on the populations over time in terms of growth were detected. Model predictions agreed well with the measured data. The tests and modeling results validate the model to simulate population dynamics of P. subcapitata after pulsed exposure to chlorotoluron. Model predictions and extrapolations with different exposure patterns are considered reliable for chlorotoluron. The good reproducibility of the population behavior in the test systems supports this conclusion. An example modeled extrapolation of the experimental results to other (untested) exposure scenarios shows a potential approach to using the validated model as a supportive tool in risk assessment. Environ Toxicol Chem 2019;38:2520-2534. © 2019 SETAC.
Keywords: Algae; Aquatic toxicology; Flow-through chemostat system; Higher-tier testing of green algae; Pesticide risk assessment; Population modeling; Population-level effects; Pulsed exposure.
© 2019 SETAC.