Effects of sublethal concentrations of mercuric chloride on ammonium-limitedSkeletonema costatum

Abstract

The effect of sublethal additions of mercuric chloride on the marine diatomSkeletonema costatum (Grev.) Cleve grown in NH4-limited chemostats and batch cultures was assessed. In short-term Hg exposure experiments (up to 5 h), the effect of Hg on ammonium uptake rates was studied by simulatneously perturbing the culture with 5 μM NH4 Cl and Hg concentrations ranging from 0.04 to 5.52 nM HgCl2. The threshold of Hg toxicity occurred between 1.8 and 3.7 nM, based on a decrease in ammonium uptake rates. When the NH4-limited culture was starved of ammonium for 30 h, the threshold of Hg toxicity decreased about an order of magnitude to 0.2 nM. In long-term Hg exposure experiments (679.5 h), NH4-limited continuous cultures were semi-continuously exposed to 0.37 and 3.68 nM HgCl2. After 4 days, the cell density in the Hg-treated chemostats began to drastically decline. After about 16 days these populations recovered, even though Hg additions continued. At the end of the experiment (26 days), cell densities had reached the levels observed at the beginning of the experiment. The reason for the recovery is unknown, but several possibilities are discussed. Ammonium uptake rates determined during the time-course of this long-term Hg exposure, indicated that these NH4-limited cultures exhibited a significant loss in their ability to take up ammonium at low concentrations (e.g. 1 μM). Thus, mercury pollution may seriously decrease the ability of a species to utilize the limiting nutrient during periods of seasonal nutrient limitation.