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Acute toxicity of ammonia on juvenile cobia (Rachycentron canadum, Linnaeus, 1766) according to the salinity

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Abstract

Juvenile cobia (Rachycentron canadum) (total length 15.16 ± 0.92 cm and weight 19.26 ± 4.5 g) were exposed to different concentrations of ammonia–N (unionized plus ionized ammonia as nitrogen), using the static renewal method at different salinity levels of 5, 20, and 35‰ at pH 8.1 and 25°C. The 24, 48, 72, 96 h LC50 values of ammonia–N for R. canadum juveniles were 60.28, 48.57, 37.42, 22.73 mg l−1 at 35‰; 51.25, 43.63, 28.17, 19.05 mg l−1 at 20‰; and 39.48, 25.31, 19.50, 8.13 mg l−1 at 5‰, respectively. The 24, 48, 72, 96 h LC50 values of NH3–N (unionized ammonia as nitrogen) were 1.81, 1.46, 1.12, and 0.68 mg l−1 at 35‰; 1.75, 1.49, 0.96, and 0.65 mg l−1 at 20‰; and 1.52, 0.97, 0.71, and 0.31 mg l−1 at 5‰, respectively. As the salinity decreased from 35 to 5‰, susceptibility of ammonia–N increased by 34.5, 47.88, 50.56, and 64.23% after 24, 48, 72, and 96 h exposure, respectively. Furthermore, we found that exposure of fish to ammonia–N caused an increase in oxygen consumption of 129.1, 157.5, and 192% and a decrease in the ammonia excretion level of 53.4, 38.2, and 23.3% with respect to the control.

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Acknowledgments

We thank FAPESP (processo 2007/50147-7) and CNPq (processo 308700/2010-4—Bolsa Produtividade) for their support for this work.

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  1. Instituto de Pesca, APTA, SAA/SP, Caixa Postal 61. Av. Prof. Besnard s/n, Cananéia, SP, 11990-000, Brazil

    Edison Barbieri

  2. Programa de Pós-graduação do Instituto de Pesca, APTA, SAA/SP, Av. Francisco Matarazo, 455, São Paulo, CEP: 05001-900, Brazil

    Sonia Assami Doi

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Correspondence to Edison Barbieri.

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Barbieri, E., Doi, S.A. Acute toxicity of ammonia on juvenile cobia (Rachycentron canadum, Linnaeus, 1766) according to the salinity. Aquacult Int 20, 373–382 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10499-011-9467-3

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