Ion toxicity and the development of a salinity toxicity relationship (STR) model for marine species

Conference · Sat Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1994

OSTI ID:42875

Tietge, J E ^[1]; Mount, D R ^[2]

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1. ENSR Consulting and Engineering, Ft. Collins, CO (United States)
2. National Biological Survey, Columbia, MO (United States)

Salinity in effluents can cause acute toxicity to marine organisms. The toxicity of the water can be due to an excess or deficiency of common ions, which usually are not thought of as toxicants. In order to develop an understanding of this phenomenon, laboratory toxicity tests were conducted to determine the effects of single ion deficiency, single ion excess, multiple ion deficiency, multiple ion excess, and total salinity on survival of three common marine test organisms (Mysidopsis bahia, Cyprinidon variegatus, and Menidia beryllina). The ions which were manipulated in these studies were Na{sup +}, K{sup +}, Ca{sup ++}, Mg{sup ++}, Sr{sup ++}, Cl{sup {minus}}, Br{sup {minus}}, SO{sub 4}{sup {minus}{minus}}, HCO{sub 3}{sup {minus}}, and B{sub 4}O{sub 7}{sup {minus}{minus}}. Results indicate that Ca{sup ++} and K{sup +} are essential ions at normal salinities, since the deficiency of these two ions causes mortality. In contrast, the complete deficiency of Mg{sup ++}, Sr{sup ++}, B{sub 4}O{sub 7}{sup {minus}{minus}}, and HCO{sub 3}{sup {minus}} did not affect survival. The single ion excess studies demonstrated that K{sup +}, Ca{sup ++}, Mg{sup ++}, and B{sub 4}O{sub 7}{sup {minus}} were acutely toxic in excess at normal salinities. Total salinity studies determined the salinity tolerance range for each species, with upper and lower LC{sub 50}s for Mysidopsis bahia at 44 g/L and 8 g/L, for Cyprinidon variegatus at 73 g/L and < 0 g/L, and for Menidia beryllina at 45 g/L and < 0 g/L. These data will be used to develop a model to predict toxicity due to common ions.

• OSTI ID: 42875
• Report Number(s): CONF-9410273--
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
56 BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE
APPLIED STUDIES
ACID CARBONATES
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BORON OXIDES
BROMIDES
CALCIUM COMPOUNDS
CHEMICAL EFFLUENTS
CHLORIDES
CRUSTACEANS
MAGNESIUM COMPOUNDS
POTASSIUM COMPOUNDS
SENSITIVITY
SODIUM CHLORIDES
SODIUM COMPOUNDS
STRONTIUM COMPOUNDS
SULFATES
TOXICITY
WATER POLLUTION