Toxicicity of derosal (active ingredient carbendazim) to aquatic invertebrates

Short- and long-term laboratory single species toxicity tests were performed with eleven invertebrate species and the fungicide Derosal® (a.i. carbendazim). Toxicity values differed widely between the tested invertebrates. The most sensitive species we found was the flatworm Dugesia lugubris (96hr-EC50: 25 μg/L, 21d-NOEC(reproduction): 11 μg1/L). Besides within flatworms, other sensitive taxa were representatives of oligochaetes, amphipods and cladocerans. On the longer-term, offspring production of some gastropod species was found to be a relatively sensitive life history characteristic for this latter group.