Toxicity comparison of biosurfactants and synthetic surfactants used in oil spill remediation to two estuarine species

The relative environmental toxicities of synthetic and biogenic surfactants used in oil spill remediation efforts are not well understood. Acute and chronic toxicities of three synthetic surfactants and three microbiologically produced surfactants were determined and compared in this study for the estuarine epibenthic invertebrate, Mysidopsis bahia and the inland silverside, Menidia beryllina. The toxicities of the surfactant were determined in standard laboratory static and static-renewal tests of 4–7 d duration. Results were specific to the surfactant, response parameter and test species. The LC50 values (nominal concentrations) for M. bahia ranged from 3.3 mg/l (Triton X-100) to >1000 mg/l (PES-61) and 2.5 mg/l (Triton X-100) to 413.6 mg/l (PES-61) for M. beryllina. Chronic first-effect concentrations (mg/l) for the six surfactants ranged from 2.3 to 465.0 (M. beryllina) and 1.0 to >1000.0 (M. bahia) based on reductions in growth and fecundity. Few generalizations could be made concerning the results due to their variability but M. bahia was generally the more sensitive species and the toxicities of the biosurfactants were intermediate to those of the synthetic surfactants.