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Effects of aluminium in hard, acid water on metabolic rate, blood gas tensions and ionic status in the rainbow trout
Author(s) -
Malte H.
Publication year - 1986
Publication title -
journal of fish biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.672
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1095-8649
pISSN - 0022-1112
DOI - 10.1111/j.1095-8649.1986.tb04937.x
Subject(s) - rainbow trout , calcium , hard water , aluminium , salmo , biology , oxygen , carbon dioxide , zoology , soft water , oxygen tension , respiratory system , anatomy , fish <actinopterygii> , chemistry , fishery , ecology , metallurgy , materials science , organic chemistry
Rainbow trout, Salmo gairdneri , cannulated in the dorsal aorta, were exposed to 2 mgl −1 aluminium (added as Al 2 (SO 4 ) 3 , 18H 2 O) at pH = 5.0 in hard water of very high calcium concentrations (3.3 mmol 1 −1 ). No changes were observed in the concentration of the major plasma ions. The fish, however, became hypoxic, as seen from a fall in the dorsal aortic oxygen tension from around 100 mmHg to 30–40 mmHg, and a simultaneous increase in carbon dioxide tension. Moreover, exposure resulted in a 15% increase in standard oxygen uptake. The ventilation frequency doubled and swelling of the erythrocytes was observed. The results are discussed in the light of some earlier data on the effects of acid/aluminium exposure in water of low calcium concentration, and reveal an important role for calcium in the physiological responses to low pH and aluminium.