Impact of copper, pentachlorophenol and benzo[a]pyrene on the swimming efficiency and embryogenesis of the amphipod Chaetogammarus marinus

Abstract

The effects of copper (Cu), pentachlorophenol (PCP) and benzo [a]pyrene (B[a]P) on swimming efficiency and embryogenesis of Chaetogammarus marinus were examined. Swimming stamina against a pump driven head flow of water was significantly impaired at concentrations of 15 µg Cu l . Cu and PCP extended the period of embryogenesis by 4 to 8 d while embryos cultured with B[a]P hatched at the same time as controls but were significantly smaller. Specific stages in the embryos' development were affected by each pollutant. Stage 1 was resistant to these effects but Stages 2 to 4, in which the embryo undergoes development of the germinal disc, dorsal organ rudiments, cordal furrows, appendage rudiments and segments, eye and heart, were all prolonged in toxicant-exposed treatments. The time taken for Stage 5 of embryogenesis was generally reduced in pollutant exposed embryos. The results indicate that both swimming stamina and embryogenesis in C. marinus may be used as sensitive bioassays for toxic effects in estuarine areas. In the case of Cu, the assays are responsive at environmental concentrations periodically experienced at some locations on the Humber estuary, United Kingdom. The swimming stamina assay has the advantage that it reflects the competence of the animals over a range of integrated physiological processes while the embryo assay has the advantage that effects at this level may reflect population level responses to pollution.

Ovarian cycle and embryonic development in Gammarus fossarum: Application for reproductive toxicity assessment

“…The methodologies used for assessing reproductive success (molting, number of oocytes, mean apparent follicle surface, embryonic number, and stage development) were previously described. In the present study, abnormal embryos were defined as embryos with aberrations and malformations as described by Lawrence and Poulter [6].…”

“…Data are available on the deleterious effects of sediments or pollutants on lethal and sublethal responses such as growth [25], feeding rate [12], precopulatory behavior [16], locomotion [26], and drift behavior [9], showing the sensitivity and the ecological relevance of these approaches. In comparison to marine and estuarine species [5,6], no toxicity test on the reproduction is available for these two freshwater species for toxicity assessment of pollutants and/or environmental samples, although such tests can incorporate endpoints that predict impacts on population size.…”

“…Laboratory toxicity tests and in situ bioassays with amphipods are also used to assess the toxicity of natural and spiked sediments [3][4][5], waters [6][7][8][9][10][11][12], and effluents [13][14][15]. Amphipods are currently used as test species because they are known to be sensitive to several chemicals and toxicants [3,[16][17][18].…”

Measuring sublethal impacts of pollution on reproductive output of marine Crustacea

“…By using the same initial embryonic classification, Lawrence & Poulter (2001) reported that embryos exposed to a variety of contaminants in vitro were mostly affected during Stages 2 to 4. Quantifying embryo loss may also prove useful in assessing parental behaviour in some egg-brooding crustaceans, whereby there may be active ejection of non-viable/abnormal eggs or embryos.…”

“…A variety of contaminants have been shown to affect fecundity, egg viability and embryonic development in amphipods, including oil associated pollutants (Baden 1990, Lawrence & Poulter 2001, PCBs (Borowsky et al 1997), heavy metals (Sundelin 1983, Conradi & Depledge 1998, Lawrence & Poulter 2001, and pulpmill effluent (Eriksson et al 1996).…”