Collected reprints: Abstract 3503

Collected reprints

Abstract

Persoone, G.; Uyttersprot, G. (1975). The influence of inorganic and organic pollutants on the rate of reproduction of a marine hypotrichous ciliate : Euplotes vannus Muller. Rev. Int. Océanogr. Méd. 37/38: 125-151

Within the Belgian interdisciplinary research program "Mathematical model of the North-Sea", experiments are being carried out in order to determine the toxicity of various inorganic and organic compounds on marine pelagic and benthic organisms. Several concentrations of 5 heavy metal ions, 5 common pesticides and one PCB have been tested. The present report concerns the effect of lead, copper, mercury, zinc and cadmium ions, as well as DDT, DDE, hexachlorobenzene, heptachlor, hexachlorcyclohexane and Aroclor ® 1245, on the rate of reproduction of a common marine hypotrichous ciliate: Euplotes vannus Muller. Among the heavy metals tested mercury is the most toxic: total inhibition at the 1 ppm level; copper gives a 50 % inhibition at 1 ppm and is lethal at 10 ppm. Lead, cadmium and zinc start to affect the rate of division between 1 and 10 ppm, total inhibition occurring at 100 ppm. The organic pollutants tested seem to be much less toxic; indeed the highest concentration tested (10 ppm) reduces the rate of reproduction only for about 10 %.

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