Copper toxicity to sperm, embryos and larvae of topsmelt 'Atherinops affinis', with notes on induced spawning

Technical Report · Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1991

OSTI ID:5755656

Anderson, B S; Middaugh, D P; Hunt, J W; Turpen, S L

Topsmelt, Atherinops affinis, were induced to spawn repeatedly in the laboratory using a combination of environmental cues. Temperature spikes appeared to be the most important factor to induce spawning. Egg production peaked four days after a 2C increase in water temperature, and declined thereafter. A series of static toxicity tests compared the relative sensitivity of topsmelt sperm, embryos, and larvae to copper chloride. Of the three developmental stages compared, sperm were more sensitive than embryos, and embryos were more sensitive than larvae. The mean EC50 from four separate 48-h fertilization experiments was 109 micrograms copper/liter. The mean EC50 from three, 12-day embryo development development tests was 142-147 micrograms copper/liter, depending on the endpoint used. The mean LC50 from three, 96-h larval mortality tests was 238 micrograms copper/liter. Topsmelt are amenable to laboratory culture and are a promising eastern Pacific toxicity test species. (Copyright (c) 1991 Elsevier Science Publishers Ltd, England.)

• Research Organization: Environmental Protection Agency, Gulf Breeze, FL (United States). Environmental Research Lab.
• OSTI ID: 5755656
• Report Number(s): PB-92-129808/XAB
• Resource Relation: Other Information: Pub. in Marine Environmental Research, v31 p17-35 1991. See also PB85-227023. Prepared in cooperation with California Univ., Santa Cruz, and California State Dept. of Fish and Game, Monterey. Marine Pollution Studies Lab
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
COPPER
TOXICITY
FISHES
SENSITIVITY
WATER POLLUTION
BIOLOGICAL INDICATORS
FERTILIZATION
SPERMATOZOA
ANIMALS
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
ELEMENTS
GAMETES
GERM CELLS
METALS
POLLUTION
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
VERTEBRATES
540320* - Environment
Aquatic- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (1990-)
560300 - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology