The use of active metabolism and swimming activity to evaluate the toxicity of dodecyl benzene sodium sulfonate (LAS-C12) on the Mugil platanus (Mullet) according to temperature and salinity.

Active metabolism and swimming activity were used to study the effects of dodecyl benzene sodium sulfonate (LAS-C12) in Mugil platanus, a species traditionally considered as estuarine. The effects of exposure to different concentrations of LAS-C12 (0.0, 1.0, 2.5, and 5.0 mg/L) on the active metabolism and swimming activity of Mugil platanus were evaluated. The active metabolism and swimming activity were estimated through experiments conducted on each of 9 possible combinations of three temperatures (35, 20, and 15 degrees C) and three salinities (35, 20, and 5 per thousand). The results show that the active metabolism increases according to the LAS-C12 concentration in all temperatures and salinities studied. At the highest tested concentration (5.0 mg/L), the active metabolism was 111%; 84.8 and 105% higher than the control, at 35 per thousand salinity at the three temperatures. However, the swimming activity decreased according to the LAS-C12 concentration in all temperatures and salinities studied. At the highest tested concentration, the swimming activity was 78.6, 73.6, and 78.7% less than the control, at 25 degrees C at the three salinities. The active metabolism and swimming activity averages, achieved in the different salinities studied, were not significantly different, as a result of the LAS-C12 concentration.