The Effects of Nonylphenol and Octylphenol on Embryonic Development of Sea Urchin (Paracentrotus lividus)

Abstract

In this study, embryotoxic and genotoxic effects of nonylphenol (NP) and octylphenol (OP), which are the derivates of alkylphenol (APs), were evaluated using the gametes and embryos of the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus. The sperm and eggs of sea urchins were exposed to increasing concentrations of NP (0.937-18.74 microg/L) and OP (5-160 microg/L) under static conditions. The endpoints were sperm fertilization success, quantitative and morphologic changes in mitotic activity, larval malformations, developmental arrest, and embryonic/larval mortality. A dose-response-related reduction (approximately 20%) was observed in fertilization success and significant increases in the number of larvae with skeleton malformations at the pluteus stage of the contaminated sperms. The spermiotoxic and embryotoxic concentrations were determined as 0.937 microg/L for NP and 4.685 microg/L for OP for this species. The embryotoxicity of NP and OP is concentration dependent, and significant growth reduction at the early life stages and an increase in larval malformations as skeleton deformities at the pluteus stage were observed. Cytogenetic analysis of embryos showed a decreasing curve in mitotic indexes (number of mitosis per embryo) with increasing concentrations of NP and OP. It can be concluded that NP and OP adversely affect the reproduction and embryonic developmental stages of the P. lividus and this is of great ecological importance because of the hazard at the population level.

Cytotoxicity and genotoxicity of CuO nanoparticles in sea urchin spermatozoa through oxidative stress

“…Many studies reported a negative effects of different pollutants on spermatozoa of marine organisms (Abascal et al, 2007;Au et al, 2000;Boni et al, 2016;Rurangwa et al, 2002); however, the effects of NPs have been poorly elucidated (Châtel et al, 2017;Gallo et al, 2016;Kadar et al, 2011). In ecotoxicological studies, fertilization success are commonly used as endpoint to evaluate the effects of sperm exposure to NPs (Arslan et al, 2007;Dinnel et al, 1989;Mwatibo and Green, 1997;Vaschenko et al, 1999;Volpi Ghirardini and Arizzi Novelli, 2001;Warnau et al, 1996). Even though NPs are known to induce various cellular defects in spermatozoa affecting fertilization success, ecotoxicological investigations rarely use cellular biomarkers to test spermiotoxicity of NPs (Kadar et al, 2013).…”

Towards the development of an embryotoxicity bioassay with terrestrial snails: Screening approach for cadmium and pesticides

“…Concerning studies on aquatic snails, Oliveira-Filho et al [40] found a LC50 for Biomphalaria tenagophila embryos between 29.25 and 640.25 mg/l following exposure duration and Lalah et al [41] showed that the branched NP isomer (4(3 ,6 -dimethyl-3 -heptyl)-phenol at an average concentration of 0.105 mg/l) slowed the embryonic growth and reduce hatching success of L. Stagnalis; both authors suspected that this low observed effect on embryos is probably due to a reduced penetration of NP in the lengthwise encapsulating jelly strand that surrounds the eggs [40,41]. NP also induces concentration-dependent malformations of sea urchin embryos [42] and these authors find, as we do, that embryos are blocked at early stage.…”

Acute toxicity of nonylphenols and bisphenol A to the embryonic development of the abalone Haliotis diversicolor supertexta

“…At present, only a few studies have examined the toxicity of EDCs to embryos of invertebrate species using benthic diatoms as the settlement substrate (Liu et al 2009). Arslan et al (2007) investigated the acute toxicity of NPs to the embryonic development of the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus and found that the effective concentration was within an environmentally relevant range, from 0.937 to 18.74 lg L -1 , but the contribution from benthic diatoms was not mentioned.…”