Toxicity of forest fire retardant chemicals to stream-type chinook salmon undergoing parr–smolt transformation
Open accessAbstract
Long-term fire retardants are used to prevent the spread of wildland fires. These products are normally applied by aircraft and are intended specifically for terrestrial application, but fire retardants have entered aquatic habitats by misapplication and/or accidental spills and have resulted in fish mortalities. The authors examined the toxicity of two fire retardant products, PHOS-CHEK 259F and LC-95A, to salmon undergoing parr–smolt transformation. Yearling stream-type chinook salmon at the smolt stage were exposed to eight concentrations of each retardant in freshwater and a no-PHOS-CHEK control for 96 h to determine acute toxicity. Concentrations of the products that caused 50% mortality were 140.5 and 339.8 mg/L for 259F and LC-95A, respectively, and could occur during accidental drops into aquatic habitats. Damage to gill tissues seen in histopathological sections was attributed to fire retardant exposure. Un-ionized ammonia levels, from 259F, were sufficient to cause acute mortality; but additional factors, indicated by increased phagosome prevalence in the gills, might have contributed to mortality during LC-95A exposure. Seawater and disease challenges were performed to determine sublethal effects of product exposures on fish health. Although PHOS-CHEK exposure did not adversely affect chinook salmon's susceptibility to Listonella anguillarum, exposure did significantly reduce seawater survival. Reduced salmon survival resulting from prior fire retardant exposure during their transition from freshwater rearing environments to seawater may decrease the abundance of salmon populations. Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 2013;32:236–247. © 2012 SETAC
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Fire retardants caused acute toxicity to O. tshawytscha (chinook salmon) yearlings at concentrations possible during accidental applications.
“Fire retardants caused acute toxicity to O. tshawytscha (chinook salmon) yearlings at concentrations possible during accidental applications (Dietrich et al., 2013).”
From Wildfire Induces Changes in Receiving Waters: A Review With Considerations for Water Quality Management (2022) · cites this paper as Dietrich et al., 2013
The resulting ammonia concentrations were above those sufficient for acute mortality and were a presumed contributor to toxicity.
“The resulting ammonia concentrations were above those sufficient for acute mortality and were a presumed contributor (Dietrich et al., 2013).”
From Wildfire Induces Changes in Receiving Waters: A Review With Considerations for Water Quality Management (2022) · cites this paper as Dietrich et al., 2013
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Self-citation
- Authors
- Dietrich, J. P., Myers, M. S., Strickland, S. A., Van Gaest, A., & Arkoosh, M. R.
- Affiliations
- NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service (US)
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (US)
- Environmental Conservation Division, Northwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Newport, Oregon
- Corresponding author
- Dietrich, Joseph P.
- Venue
- Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press (OUP)
- Published
- 2012-11-12
- Volume
- 32
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 236-247
- ISSN
- 0730-7268 (ISSN-L)
- 1552-8618
- OpenAlex
- W2103212502
- Cited by
- 25
- References
- 34
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 6 · 2021: 1 · 2017: 1 · 2015: 2 · 2014: 4 · 2013: 1
- FWCI
- 1.55
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- U.S. Department of Agriculture
- U.S. Geological Survey
- U.S. Forest Service
- National Marine Fisheries Service
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis › Environmental Toxicology and Ecotoxicology
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis › Toxic Organic Pollutants Impact
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Pollution › Pesticide and Herbicide Environmental Studies
- Keywords
- flame retardants, Oncorhynchus tshawytscha, smoltification, acute toxicity, gill histopathology, un-ionized ammonia, Vibrio anguillarum, sublethal effects, accidental spills, fish mortality
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Fires, Flame Retardants, Gills, Salmon, Trees, Water Pollutants, Chemical, Ecosystem, Toxicity Tests, Acute, Rivers
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