Biological Criteria of Fluoride for Freshwater Hydrobiont in China.

Data of acute toxicity of fluoride to 19 genera of freshwater hydrobiont in China were collected and screened. Based on the data, biological criteria of fluoride for freshwater hydrobiont in China were derived using the species sensitivity ranking method (SSR) of the US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) and compared with what was obtained using the criteria derivation methods of the Netherlands (RIVM-SSD) and of Australia and New Zealand(AUNZ-SSD). According to the results of the performance of SSR, the criterion for protection of freshwater hydrobiont against acute toxicity of fluoride in China is 11 mg·L^-1 and that against chronic toxicity, 2 mg·L^-1. The log-normal, log-logistic and Burr Type Ⅲ models can all be used to fit the toxicity data. Compared with the criterion obtained with the SSD method, the one derived with the SSR method tends to be more conservative. The results of the study may serve as technical support for development of fluoride criterion in the water quality standard and management of watershed water environments.