The effects of sublethal copper on metabolism were in vestigated in bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus) by measuring whole body oxygen consumption in fish exposed to sublethal copper alone and in conjunction with a temperature increase. In vitro oxygen consumptions of liver, brain, and gill were also measured under these two conditions, as was the accumulation of copper in these tissues. In addition, the concentration of copper in bile was measured. Copper was found to decrease whole body oxygen consumption in animals exposed to copper alone, although the oxygen consumptions of tissues were not significantly altered. This indicates that copper is acting to decrease VO₂ at a higher level of integration than the individual tissues. In animals subjected to an increase in temperature as well as sublethal copper, oxygen consumption was higher than controls five days after the temperature was increased, indicating a delay in temperature acclimation. This increase was reflected in higher in vitro oxygen consumption in the liver and gill indicating that sublethal copper delays temperature acclimation by acting directly on the tissues. Tissue copper accumulation was seen first in the gills followed by accumulation in the liver. Copper was not found to accumulate in the brain. Increased copper levels were found in the bile at all tested exposure times. A discussion of the ecological implications of these findings is included. / M. S.

The purpose of this study was to compare the simultaneous effects of the water soluble fraction (WSF) of JP-4, a common military and civilian jet fuel, on survival, ventilatory rate, preference-avoidance behavior, and blood enzymes and ions of the bluegill sunfish (Lepomis rnacrochirus) to determine possible interrelationships and which procedures might be most descriptive of sublethal stress. The dynamic 96-h LCSO for WSF JP-4 was 26.2% (percent of the maximum soluble amount of JP-4). A concentration of 5.1% WSF JP-4 caused a detectable shift in ventilatory functions (rate and amplitude); this concentration was equivalent to the 96-h LCOl. Fish did not display a strong preference-avoidance reaction when exposed to WSF JP-4. Some avoidance occurred at 3.5% and 4.9% WSF JP-4. At concentrations near the 96-h LCSO fish appeared to lose their ability to detect WSF JP-4, indicating potential for fish not to avoid lethal levels of WSF JP-4. Few significant changes in whole and serum blood parameters were measured in fish exposed to 13% WSF JP-4; at near lethal concentrations changes were primarily attributed to osmoregulatory failure. Therefore such changes in blood parameters would not be useful to validate or confirm exposure to WSF JP-4. There were few significant changes in gill and liver histology of fish exposed to WSF JP-4 other than an increase in size or number of lipid vacuoles in the liver of exposed fish. / Ph. D.

Bluegill were exposed to 3 and 30 pg/L lindane and 20 and 200 pg/L naphthalene to determine uptake rate constants, K1 depuration rate constants, K2, and bioconcentration factors, BCF. Correlations were determined between lipid normalized and non-lipid normalized BCFs, and between observed Kl, K2 and BCFs and predicted values. The K1 values for both chemicals and concentrations were similar. The K2 values were different (1.04 day~1, 0.46 day 1). Naphthalene was more rapid. BCFs for lindane (315) and naphthalene (98) were different. Lipid normalized BCFs for naphthalene were more variable than non-lipid normalized BCFs. The reverse was observed for lindane BCFs. Predicted K1, K2 , and BCFs were in agreement with observed values.