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Toxicity of heavy metals using sperm cell and embryo toxicity bioassays with Paracentrotus lividus (Echinodermata: Echinoidea): Comparisons with exposure concentrations in the Lagoon of Venice, Italy
Author(s) -
Novelli Alessandra Arizzi,
Losso Chiara,
Ghetti Pier Francesco,
Ghirardini Annamaria Volpi
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
environmental toxicology and chemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.1
H-Index - 171
eISSN - 1552-8618
pISSN - 0730-7268
DOI - 10.1002/etc.5620220616
Subject(s) - paracentrotus lividus , bioassay , sea urchin , ec50 , toxicity , environmental chemistry , biology , ecotoxicology , mediterranean sea , sperm , toxicology , ecology , chemistry , mediterranean climate , botany , biochemistry , organic chemistry , in vitro
Sperm cell and embryo toxicity tests using the Mediterranean sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus Lmk were performed to assess the toxicity of As 3+ , Cd 2+ , Cr 3+ , Ni 2+ , Pb 2+ , Cu 2+ , Zn 2+ , and Hg 2+ . The aim of this study was to improve information about the comparative sensitivity of sea urchin bioassays to the heavy metals, which are an important cause of contamination in the ecosystem of the Lagoon of Venice. Considering the data in mM/L, the order of toxicity is Hg 2+ > Cu 2+ > Zn 2+ > As 3+ ≥ Cr 3+ ≥ Cd 2+ ≥ Pb 2+ ≥ Ni 2+ for the sperm cell test and Hg 2+ ≥ Pb 2+ > Cu 2+ > Zn 2+ > Cd 2+ > Ni 2+ > As 3+ ≥ Cr 3+ for the embryo test. New toxicity data for metals expressed as median effective concentration (EC50) and no‐observed‐effect concentration (NOEC) are reported for the Mediterranean species. Accurate observations of embryotoxic effects at increasing metal concentrations were done, detecting some different behaviors in metal toxicity. Toxicity data compared with water column and pore‐water concentrations recorded in the Lagoon of Venice (Italy) demonstrate the potential ability of bioassays using sea urchin to detect important contaminants in this ecosystem.