| Abstract: | In order to evaluate the eventual impact of nickel in fish kills occuring in the river Meuse in Belgium, a series of experiments were performed in which the uptake and distribution of nickel in Rutilus rutilus L., one of the dominant species in the river was studied after administration of nickel alone and in combination with other metals. In decreasing order the highest nickel concentrations were found in gill, opercle, kidney, liver and muscle. After exposure to nickel in combination with copper or chromium nickel levels in gill tissue increased significantly compared to levels encountered when fish were exposed to the same concentration of nickel alone. When the pH of the test solution was lowered from 8.0 to 6.5, the lethal action and the accumulation of nickel in gill tissue increased. Control fish collected from a surface water storage reservoir and from the river Meuse had higher nickel levels in the opercle than in gill tissue. |
