Teratogenic effects of zinc on embryo-larval stages of the fathead minnow

Technical Report · Sat Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 1988

OSTI ID:6408855

Ramey, B A

The effects of zinc on embryos and larvae of the fathead minnow were studied using standard 8-day embryo-larval bioassay techniques to determine if there was a period in embryonic development which would be the most sensitive. Virtually all larvae at all stages were abnormal at 1.0 mg Zn/L, displaying edema and curvature of the vertebral axis. Although LC/sub 50/ values for the five developmental stages ranged from 0.13 to 0.62 mg/L, there was not a significantly most sensitive stage. When larvae were exposed to 1.0 mg Zn/L only during the 96 hour after hatching, all animals were anomalous. If zinc exposure occurred only during the prehatch period and larvae were placed in control water posthatch, only 5% of the larvae were abnormal. At sublethal concentrations the chorion may impart a protective mechanism to the teratogenic effects of zinc, but this protection may be lost after hatching.

• Research Organization: Kentucky Univ., Lexington (USA). Water Resources Research Inst.
• OSTI ID: 6408855
• Report Number(s): PB-89-136907/XAB; RR-172
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

520200 -- Environment
Aquatic-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
560300* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ANIMALS
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
BIOASSAY
ELEMENTS
EMBRYOS
FATHEAD MINNOW
FISHES
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
LARVAE
MATERIALS
METALS
TERATOGENESIS
TOXICITY
VERTEBRATES
ZINC