Research Product

A chlorinated naphthalene formulation that contained a mixture on mono- and dichloro isomers was more toxic to marine algae than were formulations of tri-, tetra-, penta-, and hexachloro isomers. However, uptake was directly related to chlorine content. The penta- and hexachloronaphthalenes are generally the most toxic to animals, and if algae were exposed to these compounds in nature, it is possible that they could serve as vehicles for transfer to aquatic animals. Transfer through food webs could begin with algae and result in effects at higher trophic levels.