title: The significance of water ionic strength on aluminium toxicity in brown trout (Salmo trutta L.).
abstract: The toxicity of aluminium to fish is related to interactions between aluminium and the gill surface. We investigated the possible effect of water ionic strength on this interaction. The mortality of brown trout (Salmo trutta L.) exposed to three different degrees of Al polymerisation was compared in water with increased ionic strength (mean 7.31 x 10(-4) M) after additions of the base cations Ca2+, Mg2+, Na+ or K+, and in water with no such addition (mean ionic strength 5.58 x 10(-4) M). Only a very slight ameliorating effect of increased ionic strength was observed, while the degree of Al polymerisation was of major importance in fish mortality. In addition, it was observed that smaller fish survived the Al exposures for a longer time than larger fish. We hypothesise that this is because larger fish are more susceptible to hypoxia than smaller fish.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of Oslo, P.O. Box 1066 Blindern, N-0316 Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Nina E W
authors.initials: NE
authors.lastname: Alstad
authors.forename: Birgitte M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Kjelsberg
authors.forename: L Asbjørn
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Vøllestad
authors.forename: Espen
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lydersen
authors.forename: Antonio B S
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Poléo
mesh_terms: D000535:Aluminum / Q000633:toxicity*; D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000032:analysis; D005618:Fresh Water / Q000737:chemistry*; D008274:Magnesium / Q000032:analysis; D009994:Osmolar Concentration; D011108:Polymers / Q000378:metabolism; D011188:Potassium / Q000032:analysis; D025341:Principal Component Analysis / Q000379:methods; D012964:Sodium / Q000032:analysis; D014337:Trout; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D011108:Polymers; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D012964:Sodium; D000535:Aluminum; D008274:Magnesium; D011188:Potassium; D002118:Calcium