Factors influencing acute toxicity of coal ash to rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri) and bluegill sunfish (Lepomis macrochirus)
The potentially toxic components in coal ash (ash particles, heavy metals) were evaluated in laboratory static, acute (96 hr) bioassays, both separately and in various combinations with extreme pH (5.0 and 8.5), using rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri) and bluegill sunfish (Lepomis macrochirus). Ash particle morphology and metal distribution analysis, using electron microscopy and surface-subsurface analysis by ion microscopy, showed that metals could be either clumped or evenly distributed on the surface of fly ash. Surface enrichment on fly ash particles from electrostatic precipitators, as measured by ion microscopy, was found for cadmium, copper, chromium, nickel, lead, mercury, titanium, arsenic, and selenium. Bottom (heavy) ash was not acutely toxic to either fish species at concentrations of up to 1500 mg/l total suspended solids (TSS) at pH 5.0, 7.5, or 8.5. Fly ash particles were not acutely toxic to bluegill at levels up to 1360 mg/l TSS. Rainbow trout were highly sensitive to fly ash (25 to 60% mortality) at concentrations of 4.3 tp 20.5 mg/l TSS when dissolved metal availability was high but were not sensitive at higher particulate concentrations (58 to 638 mg/l TSS) when dissolved metals were low. When metals were acid-leached from fly ash prior to testing, no rainbow trout mortality occurred at TSS concentrations of up to 2350 mg/l TSS. When the percent of dissolved metal was high (e.g., 50-90 % of the total), fish mortality was increased. Rainbow trout were nearly two orders of magnitude more sensitive than bluegill when subjected to a blend of cadmium, chromium, copper, nickel, lead, and zinc. The two species were similar in their acute sensitivity to acidic pH at level at or below 4.0 and alkaline pH of 9.1.
- Research Organization:
- Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State Univ., Blacksburg
- OSTI ID:
- 6211712
- Journal Information:
- Water Resour. Bull.; (United States), Vol. 23:2
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
ASHES
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
TOXICITY
CADMIUM
TRACE AMOUNTS
CHROMIUM
COAL
COPPER
FLY ASH
LEAD
NICKEL
TROUT
INJURIES
ZINC
PH VALUE
AEROSOL WASTES
ANIMALS
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
ELEMENTS
ENERGY SOURCES
FISHES
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
MATERIALS
METALS
RESIDUES
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
VERTEBRATES
WASTES
560300* - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology