The Impact of Detergents on the Mortality of Daphnia magna

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

Abstract

This study aimed to examine the impact of detergents on the mortality rate of Daphnia magna. For this purpose, we exposed one-day-old Daphnia magna for 24 hours to six nationwide consumed detergents, comprising of two dishwasher detergents, three washing-powders (one for handwash and two for washing-machines) and one shampoo. The result of our study revealed that the dishwasher detergents had the greatest impact on the Daphnia magna mortality. One of these detergents containing 17% Linear Alkyl Benzene Sulfonate, 5% Deethanolamine and 2% Lauric acid Ethanolamid was the most lethal detergent in this study. The permissible concentration and the EC50 of this dishwasher detergent is 4.7 mg/1 and 7.5 mg/1, respectively. Studies in 1993 indicated that the concentration of Linear Alkyl Benzene Sulfonate in some part of Anzali Lagoon had been 8.9 mg/1, which is above the permissible level. Among the washing-powders, the washing-machine powders were the least lethal detergents for Daphnia magna.....