This study determined the effects of nitrite on different life stages of the Amazon river prawn Macrobrachium amazonicum. Prawns of each life stage (postlarvae, juveniles and adults) were stocked in 24 experimental units (n = 10 prawns), under a complete randomized design. Individuals were exposed to nitrite (0, 1, 2, 4, 8 and 16 mg L-1). The median lethal concentration after 96 h (96 h LC50) was calculated through the Weibull I. The mortality results showed that M. amazonicum is slightly less tolerant to nitrite than other species of Macrobrachium. The 96 h LC50 for postlarvae, juveniles and adults of M. amazonicum were of 1.49, 2.36 and 2.34 mg nitrite/L, respectively. Nitrite intoxication risk quotient suggest moderated risk to low risk to the species. Usually in production systems nitrite values are lower than safe levels suggested in this study (0.1 mg L-1 to postlarvae and 0.2 mg L-1 nitrite to juvenile and adults), which makes our results appropriate for the production of this species.
Keywords: Freshwater prawn; Macrobrachium; Nitrogen compound; Toxicity.