Abstract
Toxicity tests were conducted with the marine copepod Acartia tonsa to assess the effects of dietary metal exposure. The diatom Thalassiosira pseudonana was cultured with Ag, Zn, Cu, or Ni and used as diets for adult A. tonsa over a 7-d exposure, and copepod survival and reproduction were measured throughout the exposure period. For all metals, reproduction was the most sensitive endpoint, with 20% effect concentrations (EC(20)s) corresponding to exposures of T. pseudonana to 0.64, 0.3, 1.2, and 2.4 microg/L for Ag, Zn, Cu, and Ni, respectively. The corresponding metal concentrations in the algae added to copepod test solutions (EC(20)s) were 5.44, 0.55, 22.3, and 15.3 microg/g for Ag, Zn, Cu, and Ni, respectively. None of the applied metal concentrations influenced algal growth. The results of this study have potential implications for water quality criteria considering that the estimated EC(20)s fall below the current criteria of 3, 86, 3, and 8.3 microg/L for Ag, Zn, Cu, and Ni, respectively.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.