Toxicological Effects of Military Smokes and Obscurants on Aquatic Threatened and Endangered Species
Abstract
The U.S. Army must continually maintain a state of high readiness and alertness based on current geographical uncertainties. Preparation for adverse and unknown battlefield conditions requires military training activities using smokes and obscurants (S&O), and the need to effectively quantify the emissions resulting from S&O use and assess the potential health and environmental impact of these emissions has become a critical issue for the U.S. Army. Threatened and endangered species (TES), particularly fish and mussels, cohabit training areas where S&O are released; therefore, the impact of S&O on the vitality and survivability of aquatic TES must be ascertained. Fog oil, graphite smoke, and colored signal smokes are among the most commonly used S&O. This paper details specific experiments within the larger framework of a multi-year project investigating the direct and indirect impacts of these S&O on two potential prey of TE fish, Daphnia magna (a filter feeding, planktonic crustacean) and Chironomus tentans (a benthic midge), using endpoints of mortality and fecundity. Characterization of the surface deposition and water column dissolution of these S&O is necessary to understanding potential effects on aquatic biota. While the study aims at development of methodology for testing more specific hypotheses regarding S&O impacts on aquatic TES, field measurement of relevant exposure concentrations (to be presented separately in Cropek et al. 2005) complimented by simultaneous field toxicity testing is an essential component. Acute field toxicity data obtained for Daphnia magna and Chironomus tentans exposed to fog oil, fog oil plus graphite, and colored smoke grenades are presented here and will serve to calibrate future controlled laboratory exposures.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 01, 2004
- Accession Number
- ADA433710
Entities
People
- D. J. Soucek
- D. M. Cropek
- J. C. Esarey
- Travis Smith
Organizations
- Illinois Natural History Survey