Chromium accumulation in three species of central Florida centrarchids
- St. Johns River Water Management District, Orlando, FL (United States)
Stormwater ponds are required in Central Florida when land is developed to treat the resulting stormwater. The St. Johns River Water Management District, the agency that regulates stormwater discharges in Central Florida, frequently approves plans that create habitat for fish and wildlife by planting desirable wetland and aquatic vegetation in the littoral zones of stormwater ponds to compensate for the loss of wetlands. The various species of fish that inhabit stormwater ponds serve as a food source to wildlife, especially wading birds. The objective of this study was to determine if fish that live in stormwater treatment ponds in Orlando, Florida contained significant concentrations of chromium. In order to determine if there were differences in chromium concentrations in fish with different foraging strategies, three species of sunfish (Centrarchidae) with substantially different foraging strategies were selected for this study: largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides), a predator; redear sunfish (Lepomis microlophus), a bottom feeder; and bluegill sunfish (Lepomis macrochirus), an omnivore. Many researchers have shown that large quantities of chromium are found in urban runoff. Chromium sources are largely associates with the operation of motor vehicles. Several investigators have determined that chromium from urban runoff concentrates in the sediment of stormwater ponds. Sediments represent the most concentrated physical pool of metals in aquatic environments, and they are ingested by many types of aquatic organisms. Most fish are capable of accumulating heavy metals from their diet and from water through their gills. 17 refs., 1 fig., 3 tabs.
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- OSTI ID:
- 62489
- Journal Information:
- Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, Journal Name: Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology Journal Issue: 2 Vol. 54; ISSN 0007-4861; ISSN BECTA6
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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