Abstract:
Acute toxicity bioassays and growth studies, with juvenile salmon
as test animals, were used to identify and characterize the major
toxic components of a zirconium process effluent (ZPE) produced by
Teledyne Wah Chang Albany Corporation.
The major toxic component of the ZPE is ammonia. Although
other components of the ZPE are toxic, the major portion of the
toxicity can be accounted for by the ammonia concentration, so long
as ammonia concentrations remain high. The ZPE was more toxic
than ammonium chloride solutions having the same ammonia concentration
on the basis of acute toxicity and growth studies.
The growth rate of juvenile chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus
tshawytscha) at high consumption rates was higher in ammonium
chloride solutions having ammonia concentrations less than 3 mg/liter, as compared to control groups. Ammonia concentrations greater
than 3 mg/liter led to decreased growth rates of juvenile chinook
salmon. ZPE solutions caused a decrease in the growth rate of
juvenile chinook salmon at ammonia concentrations of 0.3, 1.78,
4.5 and 7.44 mg/liter. The zirconium process effluent reduced the
growth rate of juvenile salmonids at concentrations of effluent near
to those found in the Willamette River.
