Toxicity of Chautauqua Lake Bridge Runoff to young-of-the-year sunfish (Lepomis macrochirus)

• Published in: Bulletin of environmental contamination and toxicology 1990-12, Vol.45 (6), p.923-930
• Main Authors: KSZOS, L. A, WINTER, J. D, STORCH, T. A
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 540320 - Environment, Aquatic- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (1990-); 560300 - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology; ABSORPTION SPECTRA; ALKALI METAL COMPOUNDS; ANIMALS; AQUATIC ORGANISMS; BIOASSAY; Biological and medical sciences; Biological Assay; CADMIUM; CHLORIDES; CHLORINE COMPOUNDS; CHROMIUM; COMPUTER CALCULATIONS; COPPER; DATA ANALYSIS; DEVELOPED COUNTRIES; Electric Conductivity - drug effects; ELEMENTS; Environmental pollutants toxicology; ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES; ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT; FISHES; Fresh Water - chemistry; Freshwater; HALIDES; HALOGEN COMPOUNDS; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; IRON; LAKES; LEAD; Lepomis macrochirus; MASS TRANSFER; Medical sciences; METALS; Metals - analysis; NEW YORK; NICKEL; NORTH AMERICA; Perciformes; POLLUTION; RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT; REAGENTS; RUNOFF; Salts - analysis; Seasons; SENSITIVITY; SODIUM CHLORIDES; SODIUM COMPOUNDS; SPECTRA; SPECTROPHOTOMETRY; SURFACE WATERS; SURVIVAL CURVES; TOXICITY; Toxicology; TRANSITION ELEMENTS; USA; VERTEBRATES; Water; Water Pollutants, Chemical - analysis; Water Pollutants, Chemical - toxicity; WATER POLLUTION; ZINC
• ISSN: 0007-4861; 1432-0800
• DOI: 10.1007/BF01701094

A road bridge crossed Chautauqua lake, N.Y., at the narrows between the northern and southern basins of the lake, and run-off from the bridge drained directly into the lake. The toxicity of the run-off to young bluegill sunfish (Lepomis macrochirus) during different seasons of the year was investigated. Fish exposed to run-off in springtime and autumn showed greater survival than the controls; this was attributed to the high concentrations of sodium chloride in the run-off at these seasons, which could be detrimental to disease organisms. Higher mortality occurred in fish exposed to winter run-off; this could be due to the high concentrations of zinc and cadmium in this runoff. In view of the considerable dilution of the runoff when it entered the lake, run-off from the bridge would not be toxic to fish in the lake. Such run-off could, however, be toxic to aquatic organisms in smaller waterbodies in winter.