Copper sensitivity of Pacific herring, Clupea harengus Pallasi, during its early life history

Journal Article · Sat Apr 01 04:00:00 EST 1978 · Fish. Bull.; (United States)

OSTI ID:6682714

Rice, Jr, D W; Harrison, F L

Embryos and larvae of the Pacific herring, Clupea harengus pallasi, were exposed to copper, using a flow-through bioassay system. Herring embryos were exposed continuously from 12 h after fertilization until hatching, and larvae were exposed from the time of hatching until yolk sac absorption. Embryos were also exposed to 36-h duration pulses of copper in order to evaluate the sensitivity of different developmental stages of herring embryos to copper. Pulsed exposures started at 62, 98, or 136 h after fertilizaton. The following measurements were taken as indices of the toxic effects of copper: cumulative mortality, percent hatching, and larval length upon hatching. The onset of mortality of herring embryos continuously exposed to copper began 90 h after fertilization, with deaths occurring over a short interval thereafter (response period). Significant embryo mortalities occurred at a copper concentration as low as 35 ..mu..g/l. Herring larvae continuously exposed to copper showed significant mortality at 300 ..mu..g/l copper, with no delay in the onset of mortality. Embryos exposed to 36-h pulses of copper during different developmental stages showed reduced sensitivity when exposed after the response period. Larvae that hatched from eggs exposed to a 36-h pulse of copper before the response period grew significantly less than those hatched from eggs exposed during later developmental stages.

• Research Organization: Univ. of California, Livermore
• OSTI ID: 6682714
• Journal Information: Fish. Bull.; (United States), Journal Name: Fish. Bull.; (United States) Vol. 76:2; ISSN FSYBA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

560305* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology-- Vertebrates-- (-1987)
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ANIMALS
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
BIOASSAY
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
COPPER
ELEMENTS
EMBRYOS
FISHES
HATCHING
LARVAE
METALS
MORTALITY
ONTOGENESIS
PACIFIC OCEAN
SEAS
SENSITIVITY
SURFACE WATERS
TOXICITY
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
VERTEBRATES