Chronic exposure by ingestion of environmentally relevant doses of 226Ra leads to transient growth perturbations in fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas, Rafinesque, 1820)

PURPOSE: To assess the impact of environmentally relevant levels of ingested (226)Ra on a common freshwater fish species. METHODS: Fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas, Rafinesque) were obtained at the first feeding stage and established on a commercial fish food diet containing (226)Ra in the activity range 10 mBq/g(-1), -10,000 mBq/g(-1). They remained on this diet for 24 months and were sampled invasively at 1,6,18 and 24 months to assess …