Document r2Kw5bBzgJdgGz1VGerwMEyJ
DEPARTMENT Or ZOOLOGY
P.O. DRAWER Z
STATE COLLEGE, MISSISSIPPI 39762
PHONE (601) 323-4321, EXT. 305
Mr. L.:C. Fuhrmeister'
Technical Services Superintendent
Monsanto Chemical Company
Anniston, Alabama 36202'. '.
-17 December 1966 \
k'y i
Dear Mr. Fuhrmeister:
This will be a brief report. of certain, information'requested by'. -
your people.
'
.
.j.. We have tested'bluegiils on phosphoric.acid and hydrochloric
e.acid. Fish survive at a.pH 4 and died below.that value,. g.:
H3qP04, :....... ................. -....H...C..1......
r? =
p- = 9 pH = 3 'pH = 4 PH = 5 pH = 6 pH =; 7* 3
' (Control)
All dead in .15 min. All'.dead in .15 min
All dead in 19 min. . All.dead in.20 min
All dead in 24'hrs
All dead in 24. hrs
Lived -36'hrs*'
Lived 36'.'hrs*'
Lived 36'. hrs
Lived 36.hrs
Lived 36'hrs
' Lived 36 hrs
..........Lived 36' hrs '....... ....... Lived'36'hrs -
. * These experiments were-repeated.and run 60 hours, the.results '
were unchanged.
.
II. Several people have reported'.mercury to be toxic to fresh water fishes at concentrations of 0.01 ppm. Some species died in only 8 hours while others were able to.survive up to 92 days. The' ' mode of action of Hg is thought to be coagulation of mucous (proteinmetal precipitate) on the gill surfaces.' Thus, death may occur before absorption while the metal is only superficially accumulated.
Fish that avoid copper sulphate.normally.were unable to do so after being exposed to low concentrations of .mecuric chloride. This ' observation may be a significant one in.relation to our problems.'
. . ...
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Hr. L. C. Fuhrmeister - Page 2
III. We had bad luck with our cholinesterase determinations I' Cur tissue homogenizer broke and we attempted to substitute a mortar and pestle. This method failed to extract the' enzyme. We.returned to Anniston December 10 for more fish but could not get'to the cages because of flood water. We are all set to try again this weekend.
IV. Our Microbiology Department is presently running tests on the microfauna of Choccolocco Creek.
V. Analyses of water samples'collected'October 10, 1966 produced the following findings (expressed as parts per billion):
Collection Site '
.Pesticides'
Choccolocco Creek' A 4 miles ' DDT;..40
E..Soiling Spring
DDE; .40 .
DDD; .10
Parathion*
............................................................ .............. ` 4 unidentified peaks'-
Anniston Sewage . Treatment Plant .
DDT .20.
DDE .33'.
DDD ..21
Methyl Parathion -.70- .
Parathion* 6 unidentified.-peaks
Choccolocco Creek', rv
DDT ; . 40 .
. 1 mile upstream '
' DDE; ..46
from mouth'of
'"
' DDD Trace
Colawater 'Creek '
. 3HC Trace
Methyl Parathion-. -.50 '.
_______
Parathion*
...........................................................................4 unidentified ..peaks
Monsanto Treatment
Methyl Parathion; .37'
Facility ................................................... - Parathion*...............
Snow Creek (near Oxford at Highway 21. - Highway 78' cut-off)
Many peaks - as in previous samples from this site -- no identifications could be -made.................
* A peak having the same retention time as parathion appeared in these samples. When the sample from the Monsanto Treatment Plant was chromatographed by thin-layer, a dark spot (Rf value = .50).and a light'
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spor (Rf = .12) appeared. A parathion standard also had an Rf of .12.. Materials from the unidentified spots were collected, dissolved' in hexane, and each was chromatographed (GLC) using a D C - 200 . column. .Retention times'were identical for the two substances. Although one of the'materials is almost.certainly parathion, no ' quantitations could be.done on samples collected from thin-layer plates. Ue are conditioning a new polar column which should . separate. these two. peaks'.
.Other water', and fish samples'are being processed.
' VI. I hope the.reprints.on'DO were useful.
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