EFFECTS OF WATER pH ON COPPER TOXICITY TO EARLY LIFE STAGES OF THE COMMON CARP (CYPRINUS CARPIO)

Abstract

X a n d e r J .H .X . S t o u t h a r t ,* J e r o e n L .M . H a a n s , R o b e r t A .C . L o c k a n d A bstract-Carp eggs were exposed immediately after fertilization to Cu concentrations of 0.3 and 0,8 (xmol/L at water pH 7.6 or pH 6.3. Mortality, the incidence of spina! cord deformation, heart rate, tail movements, hatching success, and whole-body content of K, Na, Mg, Ca, and Cu were determined over time. Light microscopical preparations of eggs (48 h after fertilization) and larvae (168 h after fertilization) were studied. At pH 7.6, Cu did not affect egg mortality, heart rate, tail movements, and whole-body K and Mg content. Hatching success increased only in the 0.3 fimol/L Cu group. Exposure to 0.8 (junol/L Cu increased larval mortality and larval deformation and decreased whole-body Na and Ca content. At pH 6.3, exposure to 0.8 |j.mol/L Cu increased egg mortality and decreased heart rate and tail movements. Furthermore, premature hatching, a concentration-dependent increase of larval mortality, and larval deformation was observed. Exposure to 0.3 and 0.8 p.mol/L Cu decreased the whole-body content of K, Na, Mg, and Ca. Uptake of Cu after hatching increased two-fold at pH 6.3 compared to the pH 7.6 groups. At pH 6.3, all Cu-exposed larvae were unable to fill their swim bladder. Also, after 168 h the yolk sac remained largely unabsorbed in the 0.3 and 0.8 ixmol/L Cu group. Exposure to 0,8 (xmol/L Cu resulted in coagulation of proteins in eggs and yolk sacs. No significant changes in any of the assessed parameters were observed in control groups of pH 6.3 and pH 7.6.

Environmental Contaminants in Fish and Their Associated Risk to Piscivorous Wildlife in the Yukon River Basin, Alaska

“…Because Cu is highly regulated and does not bioaccumulate in fish, few studies have measured Cu concentrations in whole-body fish (Eisler 1998;Jarvinen and Ankley 1999). Copper concentrations in YRB fish were less than those associated with reduced survival of carp (Cyprinus carpio) larvae (11.1-11.7 lg/g; Stouthart et al 1996). Lead concentrations were less than the LOD (0.21-0.27 lg/g) in all samples, which were less than available toxicity thresholds from the scientific literature (Table 4).…”

The effects of cadmium and copper on embryonic and larval development of ide Leuciscus idus L.

“…The same authors (Sikorska and Wolnicki 2006) reported similar effects accompanied by a delayed onset of exogenous feeding in Scardinius erythrophthalamus larvae exposed to Cd. According to Stouthart et al (1996), a delay of yolk utilization in fish larvae intoxicated with heavy metals may result from reduced metabolic rate or from a direct adverse effect of metals on yolk material.…”

Toxicity assessment of aqueous extracts of ash from forest fires

“…Water pH is indeed one of the most important factors affecting bioavailability and toxicity of elements to freshwater organisms (Franklin et al, 2000) but in such a complex sample as AEA it is certainly not easy to tease apart such effects from those induced by other variables. Additional difficulties arise from the inconsistent relationship between toxicity and pH, as recognized in the literature (e.g., Stouthart et al, 1996;Wilde et al, 2006).…”