Çinkonun Güney Tıbbi Sülüğü Hirudo verbana Carena, 1820 Üzerine Akut Toksisitesi

Abstract

In the present study it was aimed to determine the acute toxicity of zinc on southern medicinal leech Hirudo verbana Carena, 1820 that being used in the ecotoxicological studies. The experiment was conducted for 96 hours using the semi-static bioassay method with replicate two times. The leeches were exposed to zinc concentrations of 6.25 mg/L, 12.50 mg/L, 25 mg/L, 50 mg/L, 100 mg/L and 200 mg/L, respectively. As a result of the experiment, the LC50 values for 24, 48, 72 and 96 hours were determined 48.30 mg/L, 19.68 mg/L, 15.48 mg/L, and 14.12 mg/L, respectively. The LT50 values for 25 mg/L, 50 mg/L, 100 mg/L and 200 mg/L zinc concentrations were determined 38.63 hours, 24.55 hours, 14.62 hours, and 12.78 hours, respectively. Defecation, intensive mucus output, uncontrolled swimming, attempt to escape from the experiment media, reducing the cling power, coiling (buckling), vomiting the digestive blood, the body deformations, penile prolapse, hemorrhage and abrasion in the wall of the body were the main physiological and behavioral responses in the leeches which were exposed to the different zinc solutions. The data obtained revealed that the zinc sensitivity of H. verbana was moderate when compared to other organisms. It is expected that the data of the present study will contribute to the management of endangered medicinal leech populations.