Individual and interactive effects of environmental stress on the embryonic development of the Pacific oyster, Crassostrea gigas. I. The toxicity of copper and silver

Abstract

Pacific oyster, Crassostrea gigas Thunberg, embryos were exposed to copper and silver salts, alone and in combination, through the completion of embryogenesis and metal effects upon normal embryonic development were monitored. Copper concentrations throughout the test period ranged from 0·0 to 12·0 μg litre −1 while silver concentrations were between 0·0 and 18·0 μg litre −1. Administered individually, silver and copper yielded decreasing per cent normal embryonic development with increasing metal concentration. However, both metals exhibited ‘plateaus’ wherein per cent normal embryonic development did not decrease with increasing metal concentration until a particular concentration was attained. A rapid decrease in per cent normal embryonic development occurred with increasing metal concentrations greater than 6·0 μg litre −1 copper and 11·0 μg litre −1 silver. The dose-response patterns of copper and silver appear to be similar with copper exhibiting somewhat greater toxicity. At a copper concentration of 10 μg litre −1 only 50% of the embryos could be considered normally developed, whereas silver concentrations between 16·0 and 18·0 μg litre −1 yielded 50% normal embryonic development. Response surface methodology indicated that copper and silver interacted additively, with embryonic development affected to a much greater degree by copper than by silver. Optimum development of Crassostrea gigas embryos was greatly influenced by copper concentrations and occurred at all silver concentrations wherein the corresponding copper concentrations were 6·0 μg litre −1 or less. Above 6·0 μg litre −1 copper, per cent normal embryonic development was significantly reduced, even at the lowest tested silver concentrations. Abnormal embryos exhibited retarded shell growth, reduced size and extremely erratic swimming behaviour. These sublethal effects probably have a biochemical origin and would limit the organism's capacity to feed properly, escape predation and develop normally, thereby reducing the chances of successful metamorphosis and recruitment into the adult population.