Some Acute and Chronic Effects of Dieldrin on the Sailfin Molly, Poecilia Latipinna

Abstract

Abstract A flowing water dilutor system is described that delivers known, consistent concentrations of pesticide in filtered sea water to six pairs of 90 liter aquaria. In this system sailfin mollies, Poecilia latipinna, were exposed to various concentrations of dieldrin in both acute and chronic experiments. More than half of the experimental fishes survived 0.0015 and 0.00075 ppm of pesticide for 34 weeks. However, 0.012 ppm dieldrin killed all exposed fishes within the first week. Fishes exposed to 0.0075 ppm of pesticide contained more than 1.0 ppm in gills and blood after only one hour. After 144 hours exposure gills, blood, and brain each contained more than 6.0 ppm as determined by gas chromatography. Dieldrin concentrations in the gut, liver, and muscle after 144 hours ranged from 2.0 ppm to over 8 ppm. The mortality rate was accelerated after twenty-four hours when all sampled tissues contained between 5 and 11 ppm of dieldrin.