Predicting the toxicity of metal mixtures

•A new approach that predicts the toxicity of metal mixtures is presented.•The approach is evaluated using single metal toxicity tests of trout.•Theoretical data sets illustrate differences in toxicity among metal solutions.•Toxicity is predicted at a field site and compared with toxicity test data.•Multiple factors influence the toxicity of metal mixtures.

The toxicity of single and multiple metal (Cd, Cu, Pb, and Zn) solutions to trout is predicted using an approach that combines calculations of: (1) solution speciation; (2) competition and accumulation of cations (H, Ca, Mg, Na, Cd, Cu, Pb, and Zn) on low abundance, high affinity and high abundance, low affinity biotic ligand sites; (3) a toxicity function that accounts for accumulation and potency of individual toxicants; and (4) biological response. The approach is evaluated by examining water composition from single metal toxicity tests of trout at 50% mortality, results of theoretical calculations of metal accumulation on fish gills and associated mortality for single, binary, ternary, and quaternary metal solutions, and predictions for a field site impacted by acid rock drainage. These evaluations indicate that toxicity of metal mixtures depends on the relative affinity and potency of toxicants for a given aquatic organism, suites of metals in the mixture, dissolved metal concentrations and ratios, and background solution composition (temperature, pH, and concentrations of major ions and dissolved organic carbon). A composite function that incorporates solution composition, affinity and competition of cations for two types of biotic ligand sites, and potencies of hydrogen and individual metals is proposed as a tool to evaluate potential toxicity of environmental solutions to trout.