Evaluation of an Automated Fish Ventilatory Monitoring System in a Short-Term Screening Test for Chronic Toxicity

Abstract

A continuous automated fish ventilatory monitoring system was evaluated for use in short-term screening tests to determine the chronic toxicity of chemicals to fish. The system monitors bluegills (Lepomis macrochirus) for four parameters: ventilatory rate, average ventilatory depth, cough rate, and percent movement. It was evaluated in tests with technical chlordane, 1,3,5-trinitrobenzene (TNB) and a solvent mixture (triton X-100 and acetone) that was used as a carrier solvent in the chlordane test. The lowest concentrations fo chlordane and TNB causing changes in the ventilatory parameters during a 6-day exposure were compared to reported chronic toxicity values. Linear regression analysis of ventilatory signals indicated high computer accuracy for ventilatory rate. Accuracy of the ventilatory rate led to the conclusion that the computer was also accurate for average ventilatory depth. Cough rate accuracy was poor in the solvent and chlordane tests but was better in the TNB test. Percent movement accuracy was fair for all three tests. The solvent mixture ventilatory test revealed no significant differences between control and solvent-exposed fish for any of the four parameters monitored. In the chlordane ventilatory test, no significant responses in any of the four parameters monitored were found at concentrations up to seven times the chlordane concentration reported to cause major chronic toxicity.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jul 01, 1986
Accession Number
ADA172116

Entities

People

  • Maurice G. Zeeman
  • Tommy R. Shedd
  • William H. Van Der Schalie

Organizations

  • United States Army Medical Research and Development Command

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Chemical Synthesis
  • Chemistry
  • Chromatographs
  • Chromatography
  • Computer Programs
  • Computers
  • Databases
  • Detectors
  • Environmental Protection
  • Fish
  • Gas Chromatography
  • Information Science
  • Liquid Chromatography
  • Regression Analysis
  • Statistical Analysis
  • Toxicity
  • Water Quality

Readers

  • Agricultural Chemistry/Soil Science
  • Aquatic Ecology
  • Psychometric Testing or Psychological Assessment.