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Title: Sensitivity of adult, embryonic, and larval crayfish Procambarus clarkii to copper

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:6250668

The copper sensitivity of adult, embryonic, and larval stages of the crayfish Procambarus clarkii was determined with flow-through bioassay methods. The P. clarkii adults, embryos, and larvae were exposed continuously to copper concentrations that ranged from those producing an immediate effect to those producing none. From the family of curves of cumulative mortality versus duration of exposure, median lethal times were determined and used to construct comparative toxicity curves. The 20-d (480-h) median lethal concentrations show the order of copper sensitivity of P. clarkii life-history stages: larvae (120 ..mu..g Cu/L) > adults (1300 ..mu..g Cu/L) > embryos (3700 ..mu..g Cu/L). In addition, comparisons in percent hatching were made between P. clarkii embryos exposed early and late during embryological development. Embryos exposed to copper concentrations as low as 250 ..mu..g Cu/L 600 h prior to hatching showed only 17% hatching, whereas embryos exposed to as high as 2840 ..mu..g Cu/L 250 h prior showed 100% hatching. Larvae exposed to copper as embryos were less sensitive than those exposed after hatching. Copper concentrations in adult crayfish tissues were analyzed. The remains of adult crayfish showed exposure-related increases in copper accumulation. The P. clarkii muscle, gill, liver, and kidney showed no dose-related increases in copper accumulation, though gills showed significant increases in copper accumulation at doses of 480 ..mu..g Cu/L and higher.

Research Organization:
Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA (USA)
DOE Contract Number:
W-7405-ENG-48
OSTI ID:
6250668
Report Number(s):
NUREG/CR-3133; UCRL-53048; ON: DE83013269
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English