Abstract
The Army is replacing traditional munitions with insensitive munitions (IM) resistant to accidental detonation. The aquatic toxicity of 1-methyl-3-nitroguanidine (MeNQ), which is being assessed for potential use in IM formulations, remains largely untested. The present study fills a number of critical data gaps for MeNQ aquatic toxicity by evaluating effects across two vertebrate and five invertebrate species. Specifically, responses in larval Pimephales promelas, Rana pipiens tadpoles, Chironomus dilutus, Lumbriculus variegatus, Hydra littoralis, Hyalella azteca, and Daphnia pulex were assessed in MeNQ exposures across various acute, subchronic, and chronic bioassays. Overall, survival was unaffected in most of the MeNQ exposures where significant lethal effects were only observed in D. pulex, H. littoralis, and C. dilutus and only at concentrations ≥ 2186 mg/L. Significant sublethal effects on growth were observed for C. dilutus at 903 mg/L and H. azteca at 1098 mg/L in 10-d assays. Significantly decreased reproduction was observed at 2775 mg/L for H. azteca in a chronic 35-d assay and at 174 mg/L for D. pulex in the 11-d three-brood assay representing a sublethal effect one order of magnitude more sensitive than the effective lethal concentration for D. pulex (2987 mg/L). Degradation of MeNQ in ultraviolet light (UV) greatly increased toxicity to D. pulex. Specifically, exposure to a MeNQ solution that was completely UV-degraded prior to D. pulex exposures resulted in an 11-d LC50 of 6.1 mg/L and a 50% reduction in reproduction at 3.125 mg/L, based on the original MeNQ parent-compound concentrations.
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Data are available from the corresponding author (guilherme.lotufo@usace.army.mil).
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Acknowledgements
The present study was funded by the US Army Environmental Quality/Installations research program. The authors are thankful to Paige Krupa for reviewing an early draft of this manuscript. Citation of trade names used in the paper does not constitute an official endorsement or approval of the use of such commercial products. The results interpretations contained herein are the views of the author and are not to be construed as official views of the Department of the Army or the Department of Defense. This manuscript was approved for public release by the Chief of Engineers.
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The present study was funded by the US Army Environmental Quality/Installations research program.
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The views and opinions expressed in the present study are those of the individual authors and not those of the U.S. Army or other sponsor organizations. The authors declare that they have no competing interests.
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Lotufo, G.R., Ballentine, M.L., May, L.R. et al. Multi-species Aquatic Toxicity Assessment of 1-Methyl-3-Nitroguanidine (MeNQ). Arch Environ Contam Toxicol 80, 426–436 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00244-020-00796-x
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00244-020-00796-x