Relative sensitivity of early life stages of Arctic grayling, Coho salmon, and rainbow trout to nine inorganics

Journal Article · Tue Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 1991 · Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/0147-6513(91)90058-W· OSTI ID:5699985

Buhl, K J; Hamilton, S J ^[1]

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1. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Fisheries Contaminant Research Center, Yankton, SD (United States)

The acute toxicity of nine inorganics associated with placer mining sediments to early life stages of Arctic grayling (Thymallus arcticus), coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch), and rainbow trout (O. mykiss) was determined in soft water (hardness, 41 mg liter-1 CaCO3) at 12 degrees C. The relative toxicities of the inorganics varied by four orders of magnitude; from most toxic to least toxic, the rank order was cadmium, silver, mercury, nickel, gold, arsenite, selenite, selenate, and hexavalent chromium. In general, juvenile life stages of the three species tested were more sensitive to these inorganics than the alevin life stage. Among juveniles, no single species was consistently more sensitive to the inorganics than another; among alevins, Arctic grayling were generally more sensitive than coho salmon and rainbow trout. Based on the results of the present study, estimated no-effect concentrations of arsenic and mercury, but not cadmium, chromium, gold, nickel, selenium, or silver, are close to their concentrations reported in streams with active placer mines in Alaska. Thus, arsenic (as arsenite(III)) and mercury may pose a hazard to Arctic grayling and coho salmon in Alaskan streams with active placer mines.

• OSTI ID: 5699985
• Journal Information: Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety; (United States), Journal Name: Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety; (United States) Vol. 22:2; ISSN EESAD; ISSN 0147-6513
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540320* -- Environment
Aquatic-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
560300 -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
AGE DEPENDENCE
ANADROMOUS FISHES
ANIMALS
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
ARSENIC
CADMIUM
CHROMIUM
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
ELEMENTS
FISHES
GOLD
INDUSTRIAL WASTES
MERCURY
METALS
MINING
NICKEL
NONMETALS
OXYGEN
POLLUTION
SALMON
SELENIUM
SEMIMETALS
SENSITIVITY
SILVER
TOXICITY
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
TROUT
VERTEBRATES
WASTES
WATER POLLUTION