Acid water and aluminium exposure: experimentally induced gill lesions in brown trout, Salmo trutta L.

. Brown trout gills were examined after exposure to different aluminium concentrations (50, 200,500μg/1) at pH 5.5 and 7.0 for up to 6 weeks. The influence of humus (Pt 0, Pt 20) and water temperature (2.5°C, 15°C) was recorded. The gill structure was studied by light, scanning and transmission microscopy, together with a complementary morphometric analysis of centrally located secondary lamellae. Low water temperature (2.5°C) resulted in advanced gill lesions after exposure to aluminium at pH 5.5. The lesions were characterized by enlargement of the secondary lamellae due to an increased number of chloride cells in the epithelia. Furthermore, the chloride cells contained cytoplasmic aluminium precipitates. Addition of humus (Pt20) or increased pH (7.0) reduced or inhibited the effects of aluminium on the gills. A high water temperature (15°C) reduced the early gill lesions observed after exposure to water at 2.5°C. Prolonged exposure to a temperature of 15°C resulted in alterations in the gill structure in all groups, including the control group.