TY - JOUR
T1 - Mechanisms of Nickel Toxicity in the Highly Sensitive Embryos of the Sea Urchin Evechinus chloroticus, and the Modifying Effects of Natural Organic Matter
AU - Blewett, Tamzin A.
AU - Smith, D. Scott
AU - Wood, Chris M.
AU - Glover, Chris N.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2016 American Chemical Society.
PY - 2016/2/2
Y1 - 2016/2/2
N2 - A 96 h toxicity test showed that the embryos of the New Zealand sea urchin (Evechinus chloroticus) are the most sensitive of all studied marine species to waterborne nickel (Ni), with the EC50 for the development of fully formed pluteus larvae found to be 14 μg L-1. Failure to develop a standard larval shape suggested skeletal impairment. Whole body ions (Na, Mg) increased with Ni exposure and calcium influx was depressed. The effects of natural organic matter (NOM) on Ni accumulation and toxicity were also examined in three different seawater sources (nearshore, offshore, and near the outlet of a "brown water" stream). At low dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations the brown water NOM was protective against Ni toxicity, however at higher DOC concentrations it exacerbated developmental toxicity in the presence of Ni. These results show that sea urchin development is highly sensitive to Ni via a mechanism that involves ionoregulatory disturbance, and that Ni toxicity is influenced by environmental factors such as NOM. These data will be critical for the development of water quality guidelines for Ni in the marine environment.
AB - A 96 h toxicity test showed that the embryos of the New Zealand sea urchin (Evechinus chloroticus) are the most sensitive of all studied marine species to waterborne nickel (Ni), with the EC50 for the development of fully formed pluteus larvae found to be 14 μg L-1. Failure to develop a standard larval shape suggested skeletal impairment. Whole body ions (Na, Mg) increased with Ni exposure and calcium influx was depressed. The effects of natural organic matter (NOM) on Ni accumulation and toxicity were also examined in three different seawater sources (nearshore, offshore, and near the outlet of a "brown water" stream). At low dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations the brown water NOM was protective against Ni toxicity, however at higher DOC concentrations it exacerbated developmental toxicity in the presence of Ni. These results show that sea urchin development is highly sensitive to Ni via a mechanism that involves ionoregulatory disturbance, and that Ni toxicity is influenced by environmental factors such as NOM. These data will be critical for the development of water quality guidelines for Ni in the marine environment.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84957587406&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1021/acs.est.5b05626
DO - 10.1021/acs.est.5b05626
M3 - Journal Article
C2 - 26730609
AN - SCOPUS:84957587406
SN - 0013-936X
VL - 50
SP - 1595
EP - 1603
JO - Environmental Science and Technology
JF - Environmental Science and Technology
IS - 3
ER -