Current Density Limit of DC Grounding Facilities Considering Impact on Zebrafish (Brachydanio rerio)

Abstract

Grounding facilities, including high-voltage DC grounding electrodes and auxiliary anodes in impressed current cathodic protection systems, inject current into the ground. This study developed an experimental platform to determine the safe limit of current density for such facilities through an analysis of fish behavior on the platform. Zebrafish (Brachydanio rerio) were selected for the experiment and placed in a tank; two rod electrodes were used to inject direct current into the water. A wireless camera was focused on the water tank to video record possible changes in fish behavior. The output voltage of the DC power source was varied, and the trajectories of the fish under various direct current fields were recorded. A tracking program was developed to analyze the trajectories and quantify the behavior of the fish. A new method combining the trajectories of fish samples with the results of current density calculations for analysis was proposed. Results demonstrated that the zebrafish could sense current in the water and turn when exposed to certain current densities. The intensity of the current at the turning points was statistically analyzed, and the threshold of current density at which the fish could no longer tolerate the current and turned was 0.4231 A/m2.