Toxicity of cadmium, lead, mercury and methyl parathion on Euchlanis dilatata Ehrenberg 1832 (Rotifera: Monogononta).

Acute toxicity tests with Cd, Pb, Hg, and methyl parathion were developed to compare the sensitivity of the rotifer Euchlanis dilatata with other model organisms used in aquatic ecotoxicology. Cd was the most toxic chemical (LC50 = 14.8 μg L(-1)), while methyl parathion was the least toxic (LC50 = 864.2 μg L(-1)). E. dilatata was more sensitive that other rotifer species, particularly of the genera Brachionus and Lecane. However, E. dilatata was less sensitive to mercury and methyl parathion than the crustacean, Daphnia magna. The high sensitivity of E. dilatata suggests that it may be an adequate benthic model to use in toxicity assessments of metal-contaminated sediments.