Correlated Ni, Cu, and Zn Sensitivities of 8 Freshwater Algal Species and Consequences for Low-Level Metal Mixture Effects.

Predicting metal sensitivities and metal mixture interactions for species within each trophic level is essential to understand the effects of metals at the ecosystem level. The present study was set up to explore the correlations of metal sensitivities among species and if these sensitivities or metal mixture interactions are related to growth or morphological traits. The toxicity of Ni, Cu, and Zn on algal growth was tested for 8 freshwater algal species when dosed singly and in combinations in phosphorus-limiting static systems. The metal sensitivities on specific growth rate (10% effect concentrations expressed as free ion activities) varied 2 to 3 orders of magnitude among species depending on metal. These sensitivities were unrelated (p > 0.05) to their specific growth rate (0.7-1.8 d ) or cell volume (10 -10 m  cell ). Species-specific differences in one or more toxicokinetic and/or toxicodynamic (TKTD) processes are likely at the basis of this variation. The log-transformed metal sensitivities positively correlated (p < 0.1) among the species in all 3 binary combinations (Ni-Cu, Ni-Zn, and Cu-Zn), suggesting that species have correlated TKTD rates for these metals. Furthermore, they would also predict stronger effects of metal mixtures on algal community biodiversity than what would be expected without a positive correlation. Low-level metal mixture effects varied similarly, largely among species and mixture interactions that were highly variable: ranging from synergistic to antagonistic relative to independent action during exponential growth, whereas mixture interactions at 10% effect shifted toward additivity/synergism relative to concentration addition at carrying capacity. Some evidence was found for stronger synergistic mixture effects in smaller species. Overall, the present study highlights the importance of incorporating more species in sensitivity distributions and accounting for mixture toxicity in risk assessment. Environ Toxicol Chem 2021;40:2015-2025. © 2021 SETAC.