title: Acute responses of brown mussel (Perna perna) exposed to sub-lethal copper levels: integration of physiological and cellular responses.
abstract: This study examined the effect of sub-lethal copper levels on selected physiological and cellular responses of the marine bivalve Perna perna. Animals were exposed to five environmentally relevant concentrations of 12.5, 25.0, 37.5 and 50.0 μg L⁻¹ copper and metal accumulation was found to be significantly increased at the two higher copper concentrations after 24 h of exposure. Physiological responses found to increase during acute copper exposure included mucus secretion rate (at 25 and 50 μg L⁻¹ copper), nitrogen excretion rates and oxygen consumption rates (both at 25 and 50 μg L⁻¹ copper). Perna perna changed its substrate utilisation at 25, 37.5 and 50 μg L⁻¹ copper in favour of protein-based metabolism. A higher degree of ROS induced DNA damage was observed at acute exposure to 37.5 and 50 μg L⁻¹ copper. Filtration rate was unchanged during acute copper exposure. A model is proposed that integrates cellular and physiological responses to copper during short-term acute and long-term chronic exposures.
authors: School of Biological and Conservation Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville Campus, Private Bag X5400, Durban 4001, South Africa.
authors: Daléne
authors: D
authors: Vosloo
authors: Joseph
authors: J
authors: Sara
authors: André
authors: A
authors: Vosloo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D003300:Copper / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity*; D006458:Hemolymph / Q000378:metabolism; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000378:metabolism; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000187:drug effects; D049883:Perna; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D023382:Toxicity Tests, Acute; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D003300:Copper; D009584:Nitrogen