Treated municipal wastewaters: Effects on development and growth of fishes

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

1-1-1989

Abstract

Effluents from municipal wastewater treatment facilities supply > 98% of point-source pollutants and 13% of total freshwater input to the Hudson-Raritan Estuary. We are studying the effects of chlorinated effluents on the sensitive early life stages of three species of fish common to this estuary. One source of effluents is a publicly owned treatment facility which receives about half of its input from industrial sources. Batch-to-batch variability in the chemistry of this effluent was reflected in biological impact. Embryos of the mummichog (Fundulus heteroclitus) might survive >50% or <10% effluent. Effects of moderately toxic batches included cardiovascular and skeletal defects, depression of heart rate, and poor hatch. Embryos of the winter flounder (Pseudopleuronectes americanus) had skeletal defects and decreased hatch and larval growth. Growth of juveniles, as represented by a fin regeneration assay, was depressed at concentrations ≤ 10% by all five batches assayed with striped bass (Morone saxatilis), three of five batches tested with mummichog, and by the one batch tested with flounder. Analysis of the effluent indicated relatively low levels of heavy metals. A toxic batch had 8 times the total chlorocarbon level of an innocuous batch (estimated by total ECD response). The GC/ion chromatogram of the toxic batch had higher levels and greater diversity of pollutants. Current research is directed toward identifying the organic fraction with the majority of the biological impact. biological impact. © 1990.

Identifier

0024857123 (Scopus)

Publication Title

Marine Environmental Research

External Full Text Location

https://doi.org/10.1016/0141-1136(89)90296-1

ISSN

01411136

First Page

527

Last Page

532

Issue

1-4

Volume

28

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