title: Toxicity of selenium (Na2SeO3) and mercury (HgCl2) on the planarian Dugesia gonocephala.
abstract: The toxicity of selenium (Na2SeO3) and mercury (HgCl2) was determined by using a freshwater planarian which is particularly sensitive to pollution, and belongs to a fissiparous breed of Dugesia gonocephala. The mortality and fissiparity frequency of the subjects were studied. They were exposed to intense treatments (48 hours) or for medium to long periods of time (21 days) to either the single compounds or a combination of both, and were fed or fasting. The lethal effect of sodium selenite is correlated to the food intake, whereas the toxicity of mercurous chloride is probably the result of a fixative effect which does not depend on feeding. The 21-day treatment with the first compound has a non-negligible lethal effect which is probably due to an accumulation phenomenon. At doses where an antioxidant effect prevails, fissiparity is stimulated. On the other hand, the second compound reduces reproduction frequency to half the base values. Compared to the Paracentrotus lividus, the Dugesia gonocephala offers various advantages concerning toxicological experiments; besides being easier to handle in the laboratory, it is available all year round and is not subject to seasonal cycles. It is also more susceptible to the toxic effect of mercury, which is a common and highly toxic pollutant, than the sea urchin.
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Genetica, Facoltà di Scienze, Università di Sassari, Italia.
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Congiu
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Casu
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ugazio
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004357:Drug Synergism; D007928:Lethal Dose 50; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D008627:Mercuric Chloride / Q000633:toxicity*; D010932:Planarians / Q000502:physiology*; D012643:Selenium / Q000633:toxicity*; D018036:Selenium Compounds; D064588:Selenium Oxides; D014419:Turbellaria / Q000502:physiology*; D014873:Water Pollutants / Q000633:toxicity*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D018036:Selenium Compounds; D064588:Selenium Oxides; D014873:Water Pollutants; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D008627:Mercuric Chloride; D012643:Selenium