Determination of acute toxicity of ammonium in juvenile Patagonian blenny (Eleginops maclovinus).

A Mardones,C Rivas-Mancilla,A Augsburger,M González,F Encina,R Vega,P De Los Ríos

doi:10.1590/1519-6984.186991

Abstract

Deionized ammonium (NH3) acute toxicity (LC50-96h) in Patagonian blenny juveniles (Eleginops maclovinus) was assessed. Concentrations of deionized ammonium in salt water were prepared by using 24.09 ± 2.1 g ammonium chloride (NH4Cl). Fish were exposed in triplicates to different ammonium concentrations: 0.05; 0.094; 0.175; 0.325 and 0.605 mg NH3 L-1. Additionally, a control group was included. Experimental fish were kept at a photoperiod of 16:8h. Average temperatures were 16.24 ± 1.40 °C. Oxygen concentration was 7.16 ± 0.40 mg L -1. Water pH was 7.89 ± 0.2. LC50-96 h, was estimated by using Probit statistical method (95% intervals) using EPA software (1993). Juveniles of E. maclovinus showed a LC50-96h of 0.413mg NH3 L-1 value, different from most marine species. This study presents the first record of ammonium toxicity in marine species of Chile.

Highlights

Altough the salmon and trouts are the main exportation products from Chilean aquaculture, the urgent aquaculture diversification of Chilean fish farming is necessary
The LC50-96h for E. maclovinus obtained of 0.413 mgNH3 L-1 is comparable with the results obtained for Menidia beryllina that has a LC50 of 0.61 mgNH3 L-1
The tolerance level for other marine species are of 2.29 mgNH3 L-1 for Cyprinodon variegatus and 3.35 for Gateropus aculeatus (Handy and Poxton, 1993)

Summary

Introduction

Altough the salmon and trouts are the main exportation products from Chilean aquaculture, the urgent aquaculture diversification of Chilean fish farming is necessary. The Chilean aquaculture production has a 98% FOB in salmon farming, and only the 3.2% includes other. The “Patagonian blenny” (Eleginops maclovinus, Georges Cuvier, 1830) is an endemic species with high potential for aquaculture production (Sa et al, 2014). The E. maclovinus belongs to Percifirmes order and it is distributed in Pacific Ocean from Valparaiso (33° S).

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