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Avoidance of a Water‐Soluble Fraction of Coal Liquid by Fathead Minnows
Author(s) -
Dauble Dennis D.,
Gray Robert H.,
Skalski J. R.,
Lusty E. W.,
Simmons M. A.
Publication year - 1985
Publication title -
transactions of the american fisheries society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.696
H-Index - 86
eISSN - 1548-8659
pISSN - 0002-8487
DOI - 10.1577/1548-8659(1985)114<754:aoawfo>2.0.co;2
Subject(s) - pimephales promelas , minnow , fraction (chemistry) , fish <actinopterygii> , phenols , chemistry , toxicology , environmental chemistry , water soluble , bioassay , zoology , biology , chromatography , ecology , fishery , biochemistry , organic chemistry
The behavioral response of fathead minnows Pimephales promelas to a water‐soluble fraction (WSF) of coal liquid was evaluated in a nine‐chambered circular tank (rosette). Groups of 36 fish each were tested to examine the effects of this complex organic mixture on a schooling species. Avoidance of all WSF concentrations with greater than 1.7 mg/L phenols (dye photometric measurements) occurred in 96 h replicated test series. Fish preference data were used to estimate a median avoidance concentration (AC50) of 1.54 mg/L total phenols. The observed avoidance threshold was sufficient to protect the species from acutely lethal effects reported for this coal liquid WSF, but exceeded concentrations known to be chronically toxic.