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Nickel (Ni) is an ubiquitous, naturally occurring metalthat is associated with metal mining and other industrialactivities. Despite elevated Ni concentrations reportedfor many industrial receiving waters, Ni receives littleresearch attention addressing factors influencing itstoxicity to freshwater fish. This study examined theinfluence of water hardness, pH, and total suspended solids(TSS) in soft, reconstituted water on Ni toxicity to larvalfathead minnows (Pimephales promelas). Increasingwater hardness from 20 to 140 mg L-1 (as CaCO3) reduced acute Ni toxicity by 5-fold (96-h LC50s 0.45 and 2.27 mg Ni L-1, respectively). Low pH had a slight protective effect against Ni toxicity relative to neutral pH conditions. At pH 5.5, the 96-h LC50 was 0.69 mg Ni L-1, compared to 0.54 mg Ni L-1 at pH 7.0. However,Ni toxicity was significantly reduced at pH 8.5 where the 96-h LC50 was 2.21 mg Ni L-1. These results were explainedon the basis of Ni speciation. Total suspended solids also reduced Ni toxicity (expressed as 96-h LC50s) from 0.35 to 1.12 mg Ni L-1 over a TSS range of 10 to 100 mg L-1.This reduction of toxicity due to TSS is significant becausemine effluents often have a combination of elevated TSS andmetals. The ameliorative effect of TSS was not as significantas high hardness or pH probably because there is a TSS threshold, after which physical irritation to fish gills counteracts any protective effect conferred by TSS. This finding is relevant to choices made in design of mine effluenttreatment systems; i.e., there may be an optimum range ofTSS concentrations that protect aquatic biota againsteffects of metals that remain after treatment.