The effects of pentachlorophenol (PCP) and 2,4-dinitrophenol (DNP) on the oxygen consumption of tissues from the blue crab, callinectes sapidus, under different osmotic conditions

Abstract

1. 1. The effects of acclimation to 300 and 940 milliosmole seawater and an acute hypo-osmotic stress on the weight-specific oxygen consumption of the gills, muscle and hepatopancreas of the blue crab. Callinectes sapidus, were determined. 2. 2. The gill and muscle tissues exhibited an increase in oxygen consumption on acclimation of crabs to a low salinity or when the tissues were subjected to an acute hypo-osmotic stress. Similar treatments did not alter the oxygen consumption of the hepatopancreas. 3. 3. At a concentration of 5 × 10 −3 M, pentachlorophenol (PCP) and 2,4-dinitrophenol (DNP) caused inhibition of oxygen consumption in the tissues examined. The extent of this inhibition of oxygen consumption was independent of the metabolic activity of the tissues.