Zinc toxicity to the mottled sculpin (Cottus bairdi) in high-hardness water.
The median 96-h lethal zinc concentration (LC50) was 439 microg Zn/L (hardness of 154 mg/L as CaCO3) for feral mottled sculpin (Cottus bairdi), decreasing to a median incipient lethal level of 266 microg Zn/L after 13 d. The 30-d chronic value was 255 microg Zn/L. The acute toxicity-hardness (ln-ln) slope of 1.022 exceeded that of the current U.S. Environmental Protection Agency zinc criteria. The mottled sculpin is the second most sensitive fish species for which toxicity data are available.
Brinkman
Stephen
S
Colorado Division of Wildlife, 317 West Prospect Road, Fort Collins, Colorado 80526, USA. steve.brinkman@state.co.us
Woodling
John
J
D000818:Animals; D002119:Calcium Carbonate / Q000737:chemistry; D005399:Fishes; D007928:Lethal Dose 50; D018675:Toxicity Tests; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry; D014873:Water Pollutants / Q000633:toxicity*; D015032:Zinc / Q000633:toxicity*
D014873:Water Pollutants; D014867:Water; D002119:Calcium Carbonate; D015032:Zinc