Comparative performances of eggs and embryos of sea urchin (Paracentrotus lividus) in toxicity bioassays used for assessment of marine sediment quality

• Published in: Marine pollution bulletin 2013-05, Vol.70 (1-2), p.204-209
• Main Authors: Khosrovyan, A., Rodríguez-Romero, A., Salamanca, M.J., Del Valls, T.A., Riba, I., Serrano, F.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animal and plant ecology; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Animals; Applied ecology; bioassays; Biological and medical sciences; Biological Assay - methods; Echinodermata; Echinoidea; Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution; eggs; Embryo, Nonmammalian - drug effects; endpoints; Environmental Monitoring - methods; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Geologic Sediments - chemistry; Invertebrates; Marine and brackish environment; marine sediments; Ovum - drug effects; Paracentrotus lividus; physicochemical properties; sampling; Sea urchin egg; Sea urchin embryo; Sea Urchins; Sea water ecosystems; sediment; sediment contamination; Sensitivity; Synecology; Toxicity; toxicity testing; Toxicity Tests; Water Pollutants, Chemical - toxicity; water pollution; Weight-of-evidence
• ISSN: 0025-326X; 1879-3363
• DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2013.03.006

•Paracentrotus lividus embryos are more sensitive to elutriate toxicity than eggs.•Acute and chronic bioassays with P. lividus similarly characterize sediment state.•Arithmetic difference improves toxicity estimation in eggs fertilization assays. The potential toxicity of sediments from various ports was assessed by means of two different liquid-phase toxicity bioassays (acute and chronic) with embryos and eggs of sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus. Performances of embryos and eggs of P. lividus in these bioassays were compared for their interchangeable applicability in integrated sediment quality assessment. The obtained endpoints (percentages of normally developed plutei and fertilized eggs) were linked to physical and chemical properties of sediments and demonstrated dependence on sediment contamination. The endpoints in the two bioassays were strongly correlated and generally exhibited similar tendency throughout the samples. Therein, embryos demonstrated higher sensitivity to elutriate exposure, compared to eggs. It was concluded that these tests could be used interchangeably for testing toxicity of marine sediments. Preferential use of any of the bioassays can be determined by the discriminatory capacity of the test or vulnerability consideration of the test subject to the surrounding conditions.