Blood Gases, Acid–Base Status, Ions, and Hematology in Adult Brook Trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) under Acid/Aluminum Exposure

The relative importance of ionoregulatory and respiratory disturbances in brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) under acid/Al stress in soft water is dependent upon water pH and Ca2+ levels. Trout acclimated to Ca2+ = 25 or 400 μequiv/L were fitted with arterial catheters and exposed to acid/Al for 10 d under flow-through conditions. Parameters monitored included pHa, , , HCO3−, ΔH+m, Na+, Cl−, K+, Ca2+, protein, lactate, glucose, hemoglobin, and hematocrit. Exposure to pH = 4.8 (no Al) at Ca2+ = 25 μequiv/L caused no mortality and negligible physiological disturbance. Addition of Al (333 μg/L or 12.3 μmol/L) resulted in >80% mortality (LT50 = 39.0 h) preceded by a marked decrease of plasma Na+ and Cl−, a moderate disturbance of blood gases, but no acidosis. At higher Ca2+ (400 μequiv/L), this same exposure (pH = 4.8, Al = 333 μg/L) caused similar mortality (LT50 = 38.5 h) but smaller ionic disturbances, much larger decreases in blood O2, increases in blood CO2, and respiratory acidosis. Exposure to pH = 4....