Phenol Accumulation in the Larvae of the Species Agrion puella L.(Insecta,Odonata) under Laboratory Conditions

In an aerated batch experiment for one to six days the phenol accumulation is investigated in the surviving and killed larvae of Agrion puella at phenol concentrations of 50 to 200 mg/l in the medium. The rate of mortality increases with the initial concentration of phenol, although about 40% phenol is microbially digested during the test. The phenol accumulation in μg/g wet substance is always higher in the surviving individuals than in the killed ones, but it shows an identical time trend for both. On the first day, accumulation is high, and till the third day it decreases. On the fourth day, it reaches a maximum, and then it drops sharply to its minimum on the sixth day. The measured actual accumulation is the result of changing intake and elimination rates, especially the elimination rates decreasing with increasing duration of tests and test concentration due to metabolic disturbances. The absolute minimum on the sixth day is determined also by the reduced phenol concentration. The limit of accumulation for a chronic poisoning can be estimated at 70 μg/g phenol.