Research Product

Macrobenthic animal communities developed in sand-filled aquaria in the laboratory and in the field were exposed to three concentrations of the plasticizer, di-n-butyl phathalate (DBP), and effects on community structure were assessed. Laboratory communities were colonized by planktonic larvae in unfiltered sea water; field communities, by naturally occurring animals. After 8 wk of colonization, laboratory and field communities (removed to the laboratory) were exposed to DBP for 2 wk. The numbers of individuals and species of animals in aquaria receiving 3.7 mg DBP/1 (laboratory-colonized) or 3.8 mg DBP/l (field-colonized) were significantly less than those in control aquaria or in aquaria that received lower concentrations of the plasticizer. Affected phyla in laboratory or field faunal assemblages were chordates, mollusks, arthropods, and annelids. Amphipods, Corophium acherusicum, collected only from laboratory communities, also were significantly fewer in communities exposed to 0.34 mg DBP/l. Density of individuals and numbers of species were not affected by 0.04 mg DBP/l.