Question about Nitrite

[Welles]

Hello, Randy

I have read your article "Reef Aquarium Water Parameters" on the ReefKeeping online Magazine. In this article you mention that "Nitrite is far less toxic in seawater than in freshwater", I am very interested with this, could you tell me about why the Nitrite is far less toxic in seawater ? or could you recommend some resources about it ?

Thanks a lot

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

It is far less toxic in seawater than freshwater, largely because chloride competes for uptake sites in seawater. There is a very extensive discussion of these issues in Stephen Spotte's "Captive Seawater Fishes".
There are also a number of discussions on the chemistry and other forums here. For example:

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=3218112#post3218112