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Effects of phosphates on shellfish and on calcium carbonate crystallization in vitro. Final report

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:5387793

It has been known that inorganic phosphate inhibits the precipitation of calcium carbonate in artificial sea water. This work addresses the question of whether phosphate also affects the deposition of CaCO/sub 3/ in the exoskeletons of invertebrates. Tetrasodiumpyrophosphate and pentasodiumtripolyphosphate in concentrations of 15 ppM caused abnormality, mortality, and inhibition of shell deposition in trochophore larvae of the oyster Crassostrea. Inhibition of shell growth resulting from pollution at 15 ppM could be expected in Rangia with orthophosphate, tetrasodium pyrophosphate, and sodiumtripolyphosphate, in Helisoma with tetrasodium pyrophosphate, and pentasodium tripolyphosphate, and in larvae of Crassostea the relative inhibitory action of shell growth was tetrasodiumpyrophosphate > sodiumtripolyphosphate > sodium orthophosphate greater than or equal to sodium hexametaphosphate. 4 refs.

Research Organization:
Duke Univ., Durham, NC (USA). Dept. of Zoology
DOE Contract Number:
AS05-83ER60136
OSTI ID:
5387793
Report Number(s):
DOE/ER/60136-T1; ON: DE86014992
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English