Echinodermata in ecotoxicological tests: maintenance and sensitivity

Abstract

Echinodermata in ecotoxicological tests: maintenance and sensitivityThis work investigates the sensitivity of four species of Echinodermata (Lytechinus variegatus, Echinometra lucunter, Arbacia lixula and Encope emarginata), evaluating the effect of five reference toxicants (Cd, Pb, Cr, Cu and SDS) on embryo-larval development, following the official protocols. It also evaluates techniques for the maintenance of L. variegatus in the laboratory, changes in its sensitivity, and the effects of chemical agents that induce the release of gametes, on the survival rates of the organisms. In terms of the maintenance of L. variegatus in the laboratory, the diet with vegetable content appears to be more favorable for maintenance and maturation in cultivation tanks. Chemical inducers such as KCl and the Anesthetic (lidocaine and epinephrine) resulted in high adult mortality rates, discouraging its re-induction. The tests performed with different species of sea urchin and sand dollar, using different reference toxicants, showed no variations in sensitivity to the more toxic chemicals, indicating that different species can be used for evaluation and environmental impact assessment.

Biomonitoring evaluation of some toxic and trace elements in the sea urchin Lytechinus variegatus (Lamarck, 1816) in a marine environment: northern coast of São Paulo (Brazil)

“…Spherulla cells, a type of coelomocyte, have been observed as significantly increased in animals collected from polluted seawaters and are, thus, considered adequate bioindicators of environmental stress [18]. Regarding environmental assessments, although this species of sea urchins has been widely used in ecotoxicological assays [19][20][21][22][23][24], little is known about the potential of these organisms as biomonitors in Brazil, however, due to the urchins lack of mobility and also to the feeding of organisms that live near the sediment, it is possible that this organism can reproduce the marine conditions of the region similar to the other biomonitors.…”