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Whole‐body sodium concentration in larval fathead minnows ( Pimephales promelas ) during and following copper exposure
Author(s) -
Zahner Holly M.,
VanGenderen Eric J.,
Tomasso Joseph R.,
Klaine Stephen J.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
environmental toxicology and chemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.1
H-Index - 171
eISSN - 1552-8618
pISSN - 0730-7268
DOI - 10.1897/05-543r.1
Subject(s) - pimephales promelas , sodium , copper , larva , toxicity , toxicology , environmental chemistry , zoology , acute exposure , chemistry , biology , body weight , acute toxicity , ecology , minnow , endocrinology , fish <actinopterygii> , fishery , organic chemistry
This research used whole‐body sodium concentration to characterize exposure and recovery of larval fathead minnows ( Pimephales promelas ) from acute pulsed copper exposures. Whole‐body sodium was chosen because the acute mechanism of copper toxicity to fishes is putative disruption of ion regulation, resulting in a loss of sodium and eventually leading to mortality. Whole‐body sodium response in larval fathead minnows exposed to copper was both concentration and duration dependent. The loss of sodium to approximately 70% of control levels occurred within 12 h of exposure. Organisms demonstrated an ability to recover whole‐body sodium within 48 h after exposure to concentrations below 0.47 μM Cu 2+ for 3, 6, or 9 h. However, at higher concentrations, organisms required more than 48 h to recover. Whole‐body sodium concentrations and mortality for all continuous exposures were strongly correlated. These results may facilitate development of a physiologically based model to predict the response of organisms to copper in receiving streams.