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. 2024 May;86(4):383-392.
doi: 10.1007/s00244-024-01068-8. Epub 2024 May 25.

Feeding Ration Impacts Larval Pimephales Promelas 7-Day Subchronic Growth Endpoint: Case Study with Perfluorooctanesulfonic Acid

Jonna Boyda  1 , David Moore  2 , Paige Krupa  2 , Ashley Kimble  2 , Thomas Biber  2 , Lauren May  2 , Alan Kennedy  2
Affiliations

Feeding Ration Impacts Larval Pimephales Promelas 7-Day Subchronic Growth Endpoint: Case Study with Perfluorooctanesulfonic Acid

Jonna Boyda et al. Arch Environ Contam Toxicol. 2024 May.

Abstract

The larval fathead minnow, Pimephales promelas, 7-day subchronic survival and growth standard toxicity test method is commonly used for research and regulatory testing of effluents and compounds, including emerging contaminants such as Perfluorooctanesulfonic Acid (PFOS). Existing feeding guidelines for testing are described in multiple methods but are open to interpretation. The current study sought to determine the impact of feeding ration on P. promelas survival and biomass during a subchronic exposure to PFOS. The study was conducted in two phases: (1) a control experiment to determine the most significant feeding ration factors that maximize biomass, with consideration to laboratory logistics, and (2) application of down-selected feeding rations in a PFOS exposure to determine toxicity reference values. The control optimization study supported that feeding ration and feeding frequency were significant factors in fish biomass. In the subsequent PFOS study, fish were fed a high or low ration of Artemia twice daily, while exposed to 0.3 to 3.4 mg/L PFOS. Fish fed a high ration of Artemia had significantly (p < 0.05) greater biomass than fish fed a low ration in all exposure concentrations except 3.4 mg/L, where survival was low in both treatments. The feeding ration was not a significant factor on the survival endpoint for either treatment, but the PFOS concentration was (p < 0.0001) (high ration LC50 = 2.44 mg/L; low ration LC50 = 2.25 mg/L). These findings contribute to a better understanding of the impact feeding ration has in toxicity assessments and downstream regulatory decisions.

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Conflict of interest statement

The views and opinions expressed in the present study are those of the individual authors and not those of the U.S. Army or sponsor organizations. The authors have no relevant financial or non-financial interests to disclose.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
A Average individual fish biomasses for all treatments at both 5 and 10 fish/beaker density. B Average individual fish biomasses from each control feeding study, by treatment for the 10 fish/beaker density. Asterisks denote a significant difference in biomass between treatments (* = p ≤ 0.05; **** = p ≤ 0.0001)
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Exposure response plot for survival after a PFOS exposure in high feeding ration (blue) and low feeding ration (orange) treatments. Solid lines represent the generalized linear model fit of the data while dashed lines represent 95% confidence intervals. Error bars represent one standard deviation from the mean
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Exposure response plot for biomass in the high ration (blue) and low ration (orange) treatments for the PFOS exposure study. Solid lines represent the generalized linear model fit of the data while dashed lines represent 95% confidence intervals. Error bars represent one standard deviation from the mean
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Box and whisker plots of fish biomass after the PFOS exposures. A summarizes biomass resulting from the low ration feeding treatment, while B represents biomass resulting from the high feeding ration. Boxes represent the 75th and 25th data percentiles, whiskers represent the 90th and 10th data percentiles and solid horizonal lines represent the median
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