Impacts of quicklime (CaO) on the toxicity of copper (CuSO4, 5H2O) to fish and fish food organisms

Static bioassays of 96 h duration were conducted in the laboratory using fry of common carp (Cyprinus carpio), adult tubificid worm (Branchiura sowerbyi) and adult copepod plankton (Cyclops viridis) to determine LC50 values of Cu and CaO to these organisms and effects of interaction between Cu and CaO. Ninety-six hour LC50 values of Cu to fry of common carp, worm and copepod were found to be 1.40 mg l−1, 0.08 mg l−1 and 0.03 mg l−1 respectively. CaO up to 500 mg l−1 did not produce any mortality of the fry of common carp up to 96 h. But 96 h LC50 values of CaO to worm and copepod were 83.00 mg l−1 and 27.80 mg l−1 respectively. When common carp fry, worm and the copepod were exposed to respective LC50 dose of Cu in presence of varying concentration of CaO, mortality of the organisms significantly reduced and was found inversely correlated with the doses of CaO [y = 48.36 − 0.807x, r = −0.99 (n = 7) for fish; y = 44.46 − 0.146x, r = −0.97 (n = 7) for worm; y = 49.46 − 0.66x, r = −0.99 (n = 7) for the copepod]. The present results indicate that CaO is non-toxic to fish and is capable of reducing the toxicity of Cu to fish while CaO and Cu are antagonistic to each other for the worm and the copepod. Potential of using CaO as antitoxic agent for Cu in water is discussed.