Survival of crucian carp, Carassius carassius, exposed to a high low-molecular weight inorganic aluminium challenge

• Published in: Aquatic sciences Vol. 57; no. 4; pp. 350 - 359
• Main Authors: POLEO, A. B. S, OXNEVAD, S. A, OSTBYE, K, ANDERSEN, R. A, OUGHTON, D. H, VOLLESTAD, L. A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Heidelberg Springer 01-01-1995
• Subjects: Agnatha. Pisces; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Applied ecology; Biological and medical sciences; Carassius carassius; Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution; Effects of pollution and side effects of pesticides on vertebrates; Freshwater; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Freshwater environment; Vertebrata; Toxicity; Pisces; Carassius carassius; Hypoxia; Hematocrite; Aluminium; Experimental study; Survival
• ISSN: 1015-1621; 1420-9055
• DOI: 10.1007/BF00878398

Crucian carp were exposed to three combinations of pH and inorganic aluminium concentrations for 25 days. Mortality, plasma chloride and haematocrit, and gill aluminium content were investigated. No mortality was observed in any of the three exposures. Crucian carp survived acidic Al-rich water (pH 5.17) with a high concentration of low-molecular weight inorganic Al species (242 mu g/l) for 25 days. These fish had lowered plasma chloride levels and high amounts of aluminium on their gills compared to fish exposed to acidic Al-poor water (pH 5.16 and 12 mu g/l Al sub(i)) and control water (pH 6.29 and 4 mu g/l Al sub(i)). Haematocrit was the same in all three exposures. Because aluminium was not acutely toxic to the anoxia tolerant crucian carp, the present results give support to the hypothesis that Al polymerization with subsequent hypoxia is of high importance for the mechanism of acute Al toxicity to fish.