Sensitivity of Young Striped Bass to Organic and Inorganic Contaminants in Fresh and Saline Waters

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
The toxicity to young striped bass Morone saxatilis of a contaminant mixture composed of organic and inorganic chemicals was determined in fresh and saline waters when the fish were 35–80 d old. Decreases in water hardness and associated decreases in alkalinity and pH increased the toxicity of the mixture. This increase was attributed to changes in the speciation of inorganic chemicals in water of differing qualities. Under standard conditions for acute toxicity tests, cadmium, copper, zinc, nickel, and chromium were more toxic to striped bass in soft than in slightly saline water. Overall, striped bass were as sensitive as most salmonid species to seven inorganic chemicals and three organic insecticides, and much more sensitive than the cyprinids, ictalurids, and centrarchids that have been tested.