Blood and water flow limitations on gill uptake of organic chemicals in the rainbow trout (Onchorynchus mykiss)

• Published in: Aquatic toxicology Vol. 24; no. 1; pp. 103 - 121
• Main Authors: Schmieder, Patricia K., Weber, Lavern J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 1992; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: aquatic organisms; bioaccumulation; Biological and medical sciences; blood circulation; blood flow; Cardiac output; chemical pollution; Environmental pollutants toxicology; Fish gill; Flow limitations; Freshwater; gills; Medical sciences; Oncorhynchus mykiss; organic compounds; Toxicology; Ventilation volume; Water; water currents; water flow; Fish gill; Ventilation volume; Cardiac output; Flow limitations; Heart; Gill; Fresh water; Hydrophobic compound; Oncorhynchus mykiss; Uptake; Decanol; Blood flow; Pollutant; Vertebrata; Pisces; Animal; Butanol; Hydrophilic compound; Organic compounds
• DOI: 10.1016/0166-445X(92)90019-J
• ISSN: 0166-445X

The influence of perfusion and ventilation on the uptake of organic chermcals at the gills of rainbow trout was evaluated for a hydrophilic chemical, butanol, and a hydrophobic chemical, decanol. Passive chemical uptake from water was measured in vivo as chemical extraction efficiency and chemical uptake rate after varying gill biood and water flows. An experimental protocol was developed using altered environmental oxygen concentrations to induce trout to increase gill water flow while maintaining control levels of gill blood flow. Subsequently, trout increased gill blood flow and decreased water flow. Uptake rates and extraction efficiency of each chemical measured during pre-hypoxia, hypoxia, and post-hypoxia. were evaluated in terms of observed gill perfusion and ventilation. During hypoxia. gill uptake rate for butanol did not change from pre-hypoxia levels, even with increases in ventilation. Butanol removal from water increased 70% as cardiac output was elevated during post-hypoxia. Uptake rate of the hydrophobic chemical decanol increased to the greatest extent (100% (during hypoxia. with maximally elevated gill water flow. Trout gill uptake of butanol was blood flow-limited while the uptake of decanol was water flow-limited. These empirical measurements are in good agreement with predictions of blood and water flow limitations on chemical uptake proposed in recent flow limited gill models.