A study of the impact of acid rain on chromium toxicity

This paper reports a study on the possible modification of the toxicity of chromium (VI) by acid rain. The model system used for the study is a commonly occurring sensitive teleost, Nuria denricus. It is clear that the toxicity of chromium significantly increases as the pH of the precipitation goes down. The impact appears in the behavioural pattern, food intake, and rate of mortality. These responses become increasingly pronounced as the pH is lowered to 3 from 7. It appears that acid rain would aggravate the adverse effects of heavy metal toxicity on aquatic ecosystems.