Increased Toxicity of Ammonia to Rainbow Trout (Salmo gairdneri) Resulting from Reduced Concentrations of Dissolved Oxygen

1981 ◽  
Vol 38 (8) ◽  
pp. 983-988 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert V. Thurston ◽  
Glenn R. Phillips ◽  
Rosemarie C. Russo ◽  
Susan M. Hinkins

The median lethal concentration (LC50) of aqueous ammonia at reduced dissolved oxygen (D.O.) concentrations was tested in acute toxicity tests with rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri) fingerlings. Fifteen 96-h flow-through tests were conducted over the D.O. range 2.6–8.6 mg/L, the former concentration being the lowest at which control fish survived. There was a positive linear correlation between LC50 (milligrams per litre un-ionized ammonia) and D.O. over the entire D.O. range tested; ammonia toxicity increased as D.O. decreased. Ammonia LC50 values were also computed for 12, 24, 48, and 72 h; the correlation with D.O. was greater the shorter the time period.Key words: ammonia toxicity, dissolved oxygen, rainbow trout, Salmo gairdneri

1974 ◽  
Vol 31 (10) ◽  
pp. 1653-1655 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rosemarie C. Russo ◽  
Charlie E. Smith ◽  
Robert V. Thurston

Flow-through bioassays on the acute toxicity of nitrite to rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri) of four different sizes (2–235 g) showed median lethal concentration (LC50) values for 4 days ranging from 0.19 to 0.39 mg/liter NO2–N. For 12-g rainbow trout the asymptotic LC50 was 0.14–0.15 mg/liter NO2–N after 8 days.


1981 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 316-328 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Arillo ◽  
C. Margiocco ◽  
F. Melodia ◽  
P. Mensi ◽  
G. Schenone

1976 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 34-45 ◽  
Author(s):  
S.E. Hrudey ◽  
G.A. Sergy ◽  
T. Thackeray

Abstract Acute toxicity testing using rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri Richardson) was conducted on two wastewater streams from an oil sands extraction and upgrading plant. The main effluent stream from the upgrading plant was non-acutely toxic in flow-through bioassay while the construction drainage from the tailings pond dyke was acutely lethal in static bioassay with an extrapolated LC50 of 11% (by volume). With no obvious toxicant present, trace organic analysis was undertaken based on the high indeterminate organic carbon content of the sample. Analysis by GC-MS of the sample was able to identify four compounds: 2, 6-di-tert-butyl-p-cresol, (BHT); di-n-butyl phthalate, (DBP); bis (2-ethylhexyl) adipate, (BEHA); and bis (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate, (BEHP). Toxicity testing of the compounds required the evaluation of various schemes for the preparation of the test mixtures. Direct emulsion of the test compounds in water was ultimately adopted. Ninety-six hour static bioassays with rainbow trout indicated LC50 values of 540 mg/l for BEHP, 3 mg/l for BHT, 1.2 mg/l for DBP, and an approximate range of 54–110 mg/l for BEHA. Loss of emulsified components from the test mixture during the bioassays suggested that calculated LC50 values likely underestimate the actual toxicity of the compounds. The contribution by BEHA and BEHP to the whole effluent toxicity was likely minor while BHT and DBP indicated sufficient acute lethal toxicity to warrant further consideration. The feasibility of trace organic analysis and component toxicity testing as a means for conducting longer term research on oil sands wastewaters was demonstrated.


1988 ◽  
Vol 45 (11) ◽  
pp. 2003-2009 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Pouliot ◽  
J. de la Noüe

We assessed the influence of hypoxia, which is likely to reduce the productivity of fish culture, on the digestibility of nutrients in rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri). Rainbow trout (seven to each diet) were kept for 8 d in water with an oxygen saturation level of 40.0 ± 4.0%, while control fish were kept in 89.4 ± 4.2% oxygen-saturated water. Three isonitrogenous and isocaloric diets composed of different sources of protein (animal, plant, and mixed) were used. The apparent digestibility coefficients (ADC) were calculated by the indirect method (chromic oxide) after the automatic collection of feces. The experimental hypoxia used did not change the ADC for protein (total nitrogen), gross energy, or dry matter. The amino acids only showed a tendency for better absorption: proline, glycine, alanine, and tryptophan had a significantly higher ADC (P < 0.05) in experimental fish than in control fish when the animal protein based diet was used. Finally, we noted that feed intake was diet dependent. In contrast with what we observed with the commercial (mixed protein sources) and plant protein based diets, the fish receiving the animal protein based diet maintained a normal (or returning to normal) feed intake when they were subjected to hypoxia.


1979 ◽  
Vol 36 (6) ◽  
pp. 621-629 ◽  
Author(s):  
Betty A. Hillaby ◽  
David J. Randall

Acute ammonia toxicity in rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri) was studied by intraarterial injection of NH4Cl and NH4HCO3. Hydrogen ion and total ammonia concentrations were measured in blood sampled from the dorsal aorta both before and after injection. Although injection of NH4HCO3 increased arterial blood pH, and injection of NH4Cl decreased arterial blood pH, the same dose of each was required to kill fish. While the un-ionized form of ammonia in water has been shown to be toxic, in the blood either the ionized form or the total ammonia load is toxic to fish. Ammonia levels were measured in pre- and postbranchial blood. Mean values were not significantly different, but paired values indicated a fall in blood ammonia due to excretion across the gills. There appears to be a more rapid excretion of ammonia following NH4HCO3 infusions, which result in higher un-ionized ammonia levels in blood compared with those following NH4Cl infusions. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that ammonia is excreted in the un-ionized form. Key words: un-ionized ammonia, ionized ammonia, gills, pH, blood


1985 ◽  
Vol 42 (4) ◽  
pp. 841-844 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter V. Hodson ◽  
Douglas J. Spry

Chlorine can be removed from laboratory water supplies by reduction with sodium sulfite, but sulfite complexation of metals may bias aquatic toxicity tests. We tested the effect of waterborne sulfite on the accumulation of waterborne lead by rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri). After 96 h, the blood lead levels of trout exposed to both 100 μg lead/L and 440 μg sodium sulfite/L were lower than those exposed to lead alone. The highest level of sodium sulfite having no effect on blood lead was 20 μg/L. The addition of 200–300 μg sodium sulfite/L to our water supply after charcoal filtration removed residual chlorine levels rapidly and completely. This reaction, and other possible reactions with organic matter, always reduced measureabie sulfite levels to less than 1 μg/L (limit of detection), a level much lower than those tested. Hence, sulfite dechlorination should not interfere with metal bioassays.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document