Sublethal effect of DDT on osmotic and ionic regulation by the goldfish Carassius auratus
Goldfish treated with up to 35 parts per billion (ppb), 1,1,1-trichloro-2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl) ethane(DDT) for up to 330 h in a running freshwater system showed significant but inconsistent decreases in plasma osmotic and sodium concentrations and a significant but inconsistent increase in potassium concentrations.Goldfish exposed to 17.5 ppb DDT for 330 h and subsequently transferred to brackish water (synthetic) showed no significant differences in plasma electrolytes from solvent-treated goldfish.No correlation between pesticide concentrations and total lipid content of individual goldfish was found but for one exception. Fish exposed to higher doses showed higher pesticide levels in their bodies.The lack of correlation between in vitro and in vivo experiments is discussed.