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Chronic Toxicity of Ammonia to Fathead Minnows
Author(s) -
Thurston Robert V.,
Russo Rosemarie C.,
Meyn Elizabeth L.,
Zajdel Richard K.,
Smith Charlie E.
Publication year - 1986
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(1986)115<196:ctoatf>2.0.co;2
Subject(s) - pimephales promelas , minnow , hatching , zoology , biology , ammonia , toxicity , fish <actinopterygii> , larva , chronic toxicity , sexual maturity , cyprinidae , reproduction , toxicology , chemistry , fishery , ecology , biochemistry , organic chemistry
Chronic effects of ammonia on the fathead minnow Pimephales promelas were studied in the laboratory in two flow‐through tests, each test lasting approximately 1 year. Fish were exposed to five test concentrations over the range 0.07–0.96 mg/L un‐ionized ammonia (NH 3 ); the mean pH of the test water was 8.0, and the mean temperature was 24.2°C. The tests started with 3‐ to 5‐d‐old larvae that were reared to sexual maturity; progeny of these fish (F 1 were reared until they were 60 d old. The 5% probability level was chosen to indicate significance. No effects were observed on growth or survival of parental fish at 0.44 mg/L NH 3 , or on egg production or viability at 0.37 mg/L, but effects on all of these were observed at 0.91 mg/L. Growth and survival of F 1 larvae were not affected at 0.36 mg/L NH 3 , which was the highest concentration at which these were tested. Egg hatching success was not affected at 0.19 mg/L NH 3 , but was at 0.37 mg/L. Brain lesions were common in parental fish at all stages of development at exposure concentrations of 0.21 mg/L NH 3 and higher, but not at 0.11 mg/L; no other histopathologic effects were observed at any of the test concentrations. The chronic‐effects threshold concentration, based on survival, growth, and reproductive success, is estimated to be 0.27 mg/L NH 3 for the conditions of these tests. Based on histological damage, however, this concentration is estimated to be 0.15 mg/L NH 3 .