Open AccessREDUCTION OF AMMONIA TOXICITY BY SALINITY AND PH MANIPULATION
Author(s) -
Sousa Robert J.,
Meade Thomas L.,
Wolke Richard E.
Publication year - 1974
Publication title -
proceedings of the annual meeting ‐ world mariculture society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.655
H-Index - 60
eISSN - 1749-7345
pISSN - 0164-0399
DOI - 10.1111/j.1749-7345.1974.tb00202.x
Subject(s) - ammonia , ammonium , salinity , toxicity , ammonia production , chemistry , environmental chemistry , sodium , ionic bonding , ion , biology , biochemistry , ecology , organic chemistry
The toxicity of un‐ionized ammonia (NH 3 ) has severely limited development of high density salmonid culture. In the work described, an interrelationship between pH, salinity, and ammonia tolerance is established. Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawtyscha) smolts will tolerate higher levels of ammonia under mildly acidic culture condi‐conditions. This is the result of shifting the NH 3 /NH 4 + equilibrium in favor of the non‐toxic NH 4 + ion. Intermediate salinities in water re‐use culture systems have also been shown to be beneficial in overcoming the toxic effects of ammonia. This may be related to an ionic exchange relationship between sodium and ammonium ions across the cellular membranes of the gill branchial cells. Environmental manipulation, leading to a reduction in ammonia toxicity, can decrease production costs in water re‐use culture systems. Such prodecures would also help to maintain cultured organisms should problems within water treatment components be encountered.