Acute Toxicity of Kepone to Selected Freshwater Fishes

Abstract

The acute toxicity of Kepone in freshwater was determined with three fish species,Ictalurus punctatus (channel catfish),Lepomis macrochirus (bluegills), andAnguilla rostrata (American eel). Elvers ofA. rostrata were most sensitive with a 96 h lethal concentration for 50% of the animals tested (LC50) of 35 μg per. 1. Bluegills were slightly less sensitive with a 96 h LC50 of 50 μg per 1. Catfish were most tolerant with a 96 h LC50 of 514 μg per l. Bluegills and catfish exposed to comparable concentrations of Kepone accumulated equivalent amounts in 96 h. This observation in conjunction with the markedly different 96 h LC50's for these species suggest a difference in the ways these fish cope with Kepone.