Effects of some petrochemical products on the survival of Dicranophorus forcipatus O. F. Müller (Rotatoria) under laboratory conditions

Summary

In this paper the effects of phenol, acetophenone, mesityloxide, styrene, α-methyl-styrene, benzene, ethylbenzene, eumene, toluene and acetone on the species Dicranophorus forcipatus O. F. Müller, in the closed laboratory raising system, were examined. The concentrations of phenole were: 10, 20, 100, 200, 300 and 400mg/l, and of the other compounds were 0.02, 0.2 and 2% (v/v). With phenole, the number of heterotrophic and phenole degrading bacteria were observed. Phenole acts directly toxically in acute conditions, while during chronical conditions the toxicity is reduced, which is due to the biodegradation by the phenol bacteria. Other petrochemicals act indirectly toxically, as they prevent aeration and the animals die because of the lack of oxygen. However, the reduced toxicity of the compounds is due to their great evaporation.