Differential Toxicities of Nickel Salts to the Nematode Caenorhabditis elegans.
This study focused on assessing whether nickel (Ni) toxicity to the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans was affected by the molecular structure of the Ni salt used. Nematodes were exposed to seven Ni salts [Ni sulfate hexahydrate (NiSO4·6H2O), Ni chloride hexahydrate (NiCl2·6H2O), Ni acetate tetrahydrate (Ni(OCOCH3)2·4H2O), Ni nitrate hexahydrate (N2NiO6·6H2O), anhydrous Ni iodide (NiI2), Ni sulfamate hydrate (Ni(SO3NH2)2·H2O), and Ni fluoride tetrahydrate (NiF2·4H2O)] in an aquatic medium for 24 h, and lethality curves were generated and analyzed. Ni fluoride, Ni iodide, and Ni chloride were most toxic to C. elegans, followed by Ni nitrate, Ni sulfamate, Ni acetate, and Ni sulfate. The LC50 values of the halogen-containing salts were statistically different from the corresponding value of the least toxic salt, Ni sulfate. This finding is consistent with the expected high bioavailability of free Ni ions in halide solutions. We recommend that the halide salts be used in future Ni testing involving aquatic invertebrates.
College of Public Health, The University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA.
Dean
D
Meyer
Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, The University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA.
Jennifer M
JM
Birdsey
Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, The University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA.
Mark A
MA
Wendolowski
College of Public Health, The University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA.
Kevin K
KK
Dobbin
College of Public Health, The University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA. pwilliam@uga.edu.
Phillip L
PL
Williams
D000818:Animals; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000502:physiology*; D005459:Fluorides / Q000633:toxicity; D009532:Nickel / Q000633:toxicity*; D012492:Salts / Q000633:toxicity*; D018675:Toxicity Tests; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000633:toxicity*
D012492:Salts; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; C029938:nickel sulfate; C035197:nickel nitrate; C022838:nickel chloride; C545852:nickel fluoride; D009532:Nickel; D005459:Fluorides
Aquatic testing; Caenorhabditis elegans; Nickel; Toxicity