Toxic effects of hexavalent chromium on brook trout salvelinus fontinalis and rainbow trout salmo gairdneri
Benoit, D.A.
Water Research 10(6): 497-500
1976
ISSN/ISBN: 0043-1354
DOI: 10.1016/0043-1354(76)90185-8
Accession: 006817061
Exposing brook trout to various concentrations of chromium [Cr(VI)] for up to 22 mo. (including reproduction) significantly increased alevin mortality at 0.35 mg Cr/l and retarded growth of young brook trout at the lowest concentration tested. (0.01 mg Cr/l). Eight mo. exposures of rainbow trout significantly increased alevin mortality at 0.34 mg Cr/l and also retarded growth at the lowest concentration tested (0.01 mg Cr/l). Exposures of brook trout lasting 22 mo. showed, however, that growth was only temporarily affected; therefore, it was not used as an end point to measure the affects of Cr on either species. Reproduction and embryo hatchability of brook trout were unaffected at Cr(VI) concentrations that affected survival of newly hatched alevins. The maximum acceptable toxicant concentration (MATC) for brook and rainbow trout exposed to Cr(VI) in water with a hardness of 45 mg/l (as CaCO3) and a pH range of 7-8 lies between 0.20 and 0.35 mg Cr/l. The 96-h LC50 for brook and rainbow trout was 59 and 69 mg Cr/l, respectively; therefore, the application factor (MATC/96-h LC50) for both species lies between 0.003-0.006.