Acute toxicity of hydrogen cyanide to freshwater fishes.
Acute toxicity of hydrogen cyanide was determined at various temperatures from 4 degrees to 30 degrees C and oxygen concentrations of 3.36 to 9.26 mg/L on different life history stages of five species of fish: fathead minnow, Pimephales promelas Refinesque; bluegill, Lepomis macrochirus Rafinesque; yellow perch, Perca flavescens (Mitchill); brook trout, Salvelinus fontinalis (Mitchill); and rainbow trout, Salmo gairdneri Richardson. Median lethal threshold concentrations and 96-hr LC50's were established by flow-through type biassays. Acute toxicity varied from 57 microgram/L for juvenile rainbow trout to 191 microgram/L for field stocks of juvenile fathead minnows. Juvenile fish were more sensitive at lower temperatures and at oxygen levels below 5 mg/L. For most species juveniles were most sensitive and eggs more resistant.
D000375:Aging; D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D005399:Fishes / Q000502:physiology*; D005618:Fresh Water / Q000032:analysis; D006856:Hydrogen Cyanide / Q000633:toxicity*; D010063:Ovum / Q000187:drug effects; D010100:Oxygen / Q000032:analysis; D013045:Species Specificity; D013696:Temperature; D014337:Trout
D006856:Hydrogen Cyanide; D010100:Oxygen