Sublethal and acute toxicity of the ethylene glycol butyl ether ester formulation of triclopyr to juvenile coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch)

The toxicity of Garlon®4, the ethylene glycol butyl ether ester formulation of the herbicide tryclopyr, to juvenile coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) was investigated at several lethal and sublethal concentrations. Fish behavior, random activity and oxygen uptake were monitored. Coho salmon exhibited three distinct responses related to concentration and duration of exposure: (1) at concentrations greater than 0.56 mg/L fish were initially lethargic, then regressed to a highly distressed condition characterized by elevated oxygen uptake and finally death, (2) at 0.32–0.43 mg/L fish were lethargic throughout the exposure period with reduced oxygen uptake, and (3) at concentrations ⩽0.10 mg/L fish were hypersensitive to stimuli, exhibiting elevated activity and oxygen uptake levels during photoperiod transitions. Whole body residue analysis showed that uptake of the ester and subsequent hydrolysis to the acid form in the fish was rapid, with significant accumulation of the acid in the tissues. This suggests that some threshold tissue concentrations were associated with the observed results. For juvenile coho salmon the 96-hr LC50 of Garlon®4 was 0.84 mg/L.