Sensitivity of mottled sculpins (Cottus bairdi) and rainbow trout (Onchorhynchus mykiss) to acute and chronic toxicity of cadmium, copper, and zinc

Abstract

Studies of fish communities of streams draining mining areas suggest that sculpins (Cottus spp.) may be more sensitive than salmonids to adverse effects of metals. We compared the toxicity of zinc, copper, and cadmium to mottled sculpin (C. bairdi) and rainbow trout (Onchorhynchus mykiss) in laboratory toxicity tests. Acute (96-h) and early life-stage chronic (21- or 28-d) toxicity tests were conducted with rainbow trout and with mottled sculpins from populations in Minnesota and Missouri, USA, in diluted well water (hardness = 100 mg/L as CaCO3). Acute and chronic toxicity of metals to newly hatched and swim-up stages of mottled sculpins differed between the two source populations. Differences between populations were greatest for copper, with chronic toxicity values (ChV = geometric mean of lowest-observed-effect concentration and no-observed-effect concentration) of 4.4 microg/L for Missouri sculpins and 37 microg/L for Minnesota sculpins. Cadmium toxicity followed a similar trend, but differences between sculpin populations were less marked, with ChVs of 1.1 microg/L (Missouri) and 1.9 microg/L (Minnesota). Conversely, zinc was more toxic to Minnesota sculpins (ChV = 75 microg/L) than Missouri sculpins (chronic ChV = 219 microg/L). Species-average acute and chronic toxicity values for mottled sculpins were similar to or lower than those for rainbow trout and indicated that mottled sculpins were among the most sensitive aquatic species to toxicity of all three metals. Our results indicate that current acute and chronic water quality criteria for cadmium, copper, and zinc adequately protect rainbow trout but may not adequately protect some populations of mottled sculpins. Proposed water quality criteria for copper based on the biotic ligand model would be protective of both sculpin populations tested.

Recovery of a mining-damaged stream ecosystem

“…Whereas both fish and invertebrates may be sensitive to low Cu concentrations that were elevated only 3 to 5X above background concentrations (e.g., Besser et al, 2007;Mebane and Arthaud, 2010;Clements et al, 2013), we found no reports of Co having any direct adverse effects to fish at environmentally relevant concentrations. In a 60-day growth and survival test of Rainbow Trout fry using dilution water from upper Panther Creek, the lowest observed effect was a 5% reduction in growth at 242 µg/L (Pacific EcoRisk, 2005).…”

“…Yet at the sites downstream and upstream of Big Deer Creek, about 9 to 12 km from presumed source areas respectively, sculpin recovery lagged Rainbow Trout recovery by over 10 years (Figures 3 and 8). Shorthead Sculpin and Mottled Sculpin (Cottus bairdii) are closely related, and Mottled Sculpin and Rainbow Trout have overlapping sensitivities to prolonged Cu exposures (Besser et al, 2007). Thus differences in the intrinsic sensitivities to metals doubtfully explain the slower recovery of Shorthead Sculpin than Rainbow Trout.…”

“…The sensitivity of fish to metals toxicity is also size-dependent. Egg and alevin stages are particularly resistant to metals, and the most sensitive sizes appear to be YOY salmonids of about 6 to 16 weeks post-hatch, and newly emerged YOY sculpin (Chapman, 1978;Besser et al, 2007;Mebane et al, 2008Mebane et al, , 2012. In nearby streams of similar elevation, Chinook Salmon, Rainbow Trout, and Shorthead Sculpin tend emerge from the gravels in June to August, after peak runoff (Bailey, 1952;Orcutt et al, 1968;Richards and Cernera, 1989).…”

Site-specific water quality criteria for lethal/sublethal protection of freshwater fish exposed to zinc in southern Taiwan

“…Present study provides an integrated method by incorporating toxicity bioassays and mechanistic model to improve the establishment of the site-specific ambient water quality criteria (WQC). Threshold for mortality of early life stage grass carp exposed to zinc (472 mg L À1 ) were more consistent with those of cutthroat trout of 494 mg L À1 and shorthead sculpins of 528 mg L À1 (Besser et al, 2007;Mebane et al, 2012). Thus, the physical and chemical characteristics are highly likely to affect the metal bioavailability and sensitivity of fish in surface waters.…”

The Bactericidal Effect of Dendritic Copper Microparticles, Contained in an Alginate Matrix, on Escherichia coli

“…in cooling tower water [7]. Accumulation of Cu in the gills of freshwater fish has been shown to inhibit Na + influx and reduce Na-K ATPase activity, and just 1.2 µg/l Cu 2+ has been shown to produce chronic toxicity for the freshwater mussel, Lamsilis siliquoidea [8] and 37 µg/l Cu 2+ is toxic to the Minnesota Sculpin [9]. The use of elemental copper is therefore preferential, but surface coating of large vessels with copper results in a slower antimicrobial action due to reduced contact time.…”