Effects of Toxic Chemicals and Other Pollutants on Aquatic Ecosystems - Freshwater Ecology: Concepts and Environmental Applications - page 284

TABLE 14.3 Maximum Allowable Concentrations of Toxic Metals in Natural Waters Used by Humans for the United States and Potential Human Health
Problems Associated with Each a

Maximum

Aquatic life concentration of

criteria drinking water

(μg liter 1 ) (μg liter 1 ) Metal Chemical symbol Responses to acute poisoning Chronic effects

Arsenic As 50 50 Vomiting, diarrhea, cardiac abnormalities

Barium Ba 1000 Excessive vomiting, violent diarrhea, tremors,

death

Cadmium Cd 0.66 10 Cancer, throat dryness, headache, vomiting

Chromium Cr 11 50 Cancer, skin and respiratory irritation, renal

damage (chromium III is not toxic; chromium
VI is toxic)

Iron Fe 300

Lead Pb 1.3 5 Anorexia, vomiting, malaise, convulsions, Weight loss, weakness, anemia

brain damage

Manganese Mn 50 Langor, sleepiness, weakness, emotional

disturbances, paralysis

Mercury Hg 0.002 0.14 Death within 10 days, severe nausea, Loss of teeth, kidney damage, muscle tremors,

abdominal pain, bloody diarrhea, kidney spasms, depression, irritability, birth defects

damage

Nickel Ni 7.1 13.4 Cancer, dermatitis, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea

Selenium Se 5.0 10 Nervousness, depression, liver injury

Silver Ag 0.1 50 Bluish color of skin, skin and mucous

membrane irritation

Thallium Tl 13 Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, tingling pain Weakness and pain in extremities

in extremities, weakness, coma convulsions,
death

a Data from Laws (1993) and Budavari et. al. (1989). Aquatic life criteria suggested by the U.S. EPA for water with less than 50 mg liter 1

hardness.