ABSTRACT
: Large quantities of trap and skeet clay targets are used in shooting activities around the United States. For example, the number of targets used since 1970 has averaged approximately 560 million a year. A number of acute and chronic tests were performed to determine the toxicity of Remington Arms Company Blue Rock(®) trap and skeet target fragments upon selected freshwater and marine organisms. These studies were undertaken in support of an environmental impact study of trap and skeet shooting activities at a major gun club in the northeast United States. Targets were composed of approximately 67% dolomitic limestone, 32% petroleum pitch and 1% fluorescent aqueous paint (painted targets only). The majority of samples were painted, new targets obtained from the manufacturer and painted and aged targets collected around a shooting range. Additional tests were conducted using non-painted, new targets and leachates prepared from both painted, new and aged targets. Targets were crushed to small fragments and were either directly added to the test vessels at extremely high concentrations ranging from 670 to 600 000 mgl(-1) or used in leachate tests. In direct tests all target materials were essentially non-toxic to marine and freshwater organisms, except for the non-painted new targets which exhibited minimal acute toxicity to Daphnia magna (48 h EC 50=2200 mgl(-1)). In leachate tests, the leachate was not-toxic to mysid shrimp, the only organism tested. Additional samples of crushed targets were analysed for the presence of selected priority pollutants (EP toxicity test) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). The targets did not exhibit the characteristics of toxicity as determined by the EP toxicity test but did contain substantial amounts of PAHs. However, results from new and aged targets suggest that PAH are tightly bound in the petroleum pitch and limestone matrix and are unlikely to be readily available in the environment. The potential impact of targets on the environment is further discussed.
ABSTRACT
Studies are described in which ethyl benzene (EB) was tested to determine its acute toxicity to three marine organisms, Atlantic silversides (Menidia menidia), mysid shrimp (Mysidopsis bahia), and diatoms (Skeletonema costatum), and to one freshwater algae (Selenastrum capricornutum). The respective 96-hr median lethal concentration (LC50) values and 95% confidence intervals for EB in the flow-through studies with fish and mysid shrimp were 5.1 (4.4-5.7) mg/liter and 2.6 (2.0-3.3) mg/liter. While the 96-hr median effective concentrations (EC50's) for growth inhibition and 95% confidence intervals for the static studies with diatoms and algae were 7.7 (5.9-10.0) mg/liter and 3.6 (1.7-7.6) mg/liter, respectively. Problems were encountered in all four studies as a result of the high volatility and poor water solubility of EB in water and an apparent "salting out" effect noted in seawater. This effect was found particularly true in the diatom and algae studies where the salinity was increased with the addition of culture medium. Measures are described which were used to overcome this stability problem with EB. These included sealing the test systems tight without any air spaces to prevent the collection of EB vapors. Also, increased mixing of EB in the test solutions was found to be essential in the flow-through studies to maintain stable levels. In the case of the diatom and algal studies, since current EPA test guidelines were judged to be inadequate to overcome EB volatility from the test medium, a new closed test system had to be developed and employed, after validation with a nonvolatile reference toxicant in the new and conventional static test systems. The results of these studies indicate that previous reports underestimated the potential acute aquatic toxicity of EB by at least one order of magnitude. The implications of these findings are discussed in relation to the potential environmental impact of EB and the resultant regulatory actions.
