The chronic toxicity of ammonia, nitrite and nitrate on juvenile Farfantepenaeus brasiliensis (Crustacea: Decapoda)

Abstract

In general, the adverse effect of a chemical compound present in water varies with the concentration and time of exposure to the compound, the nature of the chemical species and age of the exposed organisms. Thus, nitrogen does not necessarily cause adverse effects on shrimp, but, instead, may promote sub-lethal effects by long-term exposure. Juvenile Farfantepenaeus brasiliensis (initial mean weight = 0.61 g ± 0.07) were exposed to sub-lethal concentrations of ammonia (0.44 and 0.88 mg L^-1), nitrite (5.30 and 10.60 mg L^-1) and nitrate (45.60 and 91.20 mg L^-1) corresponding to the safe levels for the species. After 40 days of exposure of juveniles to ammonia, nitrite and nitrate, all groups differed significantly (p<0.05) from the control group regarding the growth and survival. Based on the results, it was determined that the shrimp F. brasiliensis was susceptible to nitrogen compounds in concentrations equivalent to supposedly safe levels previously proposed for the species. Thus, the security levels of ammonia, nitrite and nitrate for pink shrimp juveniles were 0.88 mg L^-1, 10.60 mg L^-1 and 91.20 mg L^-1, respectively.