Preservative Effect of Quanats Water to Reduce Lead Acetate Toxicity (LC50, 96 h) on Capoeta fusca

Abstract: This study was conducted to determine the acute toxicity of lead acetate on Capoeta fusca. A total of 580 fishes with mean length of 12.28±0.14 cm and mean weight of 16.64±0.52 g. were divided into 15 control and treatment groups of fish. The fish were kept in 20 L aquariums and the procedure designed in static condition according to the Organization Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) method. Mortality rate was recorded in 96 h and lead acetate LC50 was calculated by standard statistical method. LC50 of 10.992, 10.594, 9.338 and 7.575 mg L-1 were determined at 24, 48, 72 and 96 h post exposing respectively. In addition, minimum and maximum lethal concentrations of lead were determined as 4 and 12.5 mg L-1 and MAC was 0.7575 mg L-1. Lead acetate in soft water (Hardness 10 mg L-1) was highly toxic for fish but in hard water (Hardness: 310 mg L-1) had a little toxicity. High trend of lead for interaction with minerals such as calcium and carbonates is the major reason of this phenomenon. Lead toxicity is decreased with increase of water hardness and this is the cause of fish tolerance against some heavy metals pollution in natural environment. Lead intoxicated fish showed abnormal behaviors, restless and rapid circling.