Acute and Chronic Toxicity of Fluoride and Aluminum on Plant and Animal Models

Abstract

Ecotoxicological studies revealed aluminum (Al2SO4. 24 H2O) to be more toxic than fluoride (NaF) on a battery of test organisms (EC/LC50 of Al = 0.308 1.46 ppm; F = 116.6 232.8 ppm). During chronic exposure (Al = 3 ppm, F = 10 ppm for 60 90 days), there was reduction in growth parameters of organisms at different trophic levels in a food chain such as producers {dry weights (6.7 29.0) and chlorophyll contents (23.0 46.8%) of Ceratophyllum demersum L, counts of phytoplankton (Summer: 48.7 51.3%, winter: 62.4 79.6%) and periphytic algae (F = 40 63%; Al = 53 68%)} and consumers (zooplankton counts: F = 93%; Al = 40 92%) in the 15 L-sized artificial microcosms, especially in winter. Fish tissue biochemistry (ACP, ALP) was also altered and their RBC counts decreased (Winter: 10 49%, Summer: 18 26%).

Keywords: Acute toxicity, chronic toxicity, aluminum, fluoride, plankton, fish