Assessment of the individual and mixture toxicity of cadmium, copper and oxytetracycline, on the embryo-larval development of the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus.
Multiple pollutions by trace metals and pharmaceuticals have become one of the most important problems in marine coastal areas because of its excessive toxicity on organisms living in this area. This study aimed to assess the individual and mixture toxicity of Cu, Cd, and oxytetracycline frequently existing in the contaminated marine areas and the embryo-larval development of the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus. The individual contamination of the spermatozoid for 1 h with the increasing concentrations of Cd, Cu, and OTC decreases the fertility rate and increases larvae anomalies in the order Cu > Cd > OTC. Moreover, the normal larva frequency and the length of spicules were more sensitive than the fertilization rate and normal gastrula frequency endpoints. The mixture toxicity assessed by multiple experimental designs showed clearly that concentrations of Cd, Cu, and OTC superior to 338 μg/L, 0.56 μg/L, and 0.83 mg/L, respectively, cause significant larva malformations.
Research Laboratory "Bioresources: Integrative Biology andValorisation", High Institute of Biotechnology of Monastir, Monastir, Tunisia. gharred_tahar@yahoo.fr.
Tahar
T
Gharred
Laboratory of Biochemistry and Environmental Toxicology, Higher Institute of Agronomic Sciences of Chott-Mariem, Sousse, Tunisia.
Jamel
J
Jebali
Research Laboratory "Bioresources: Integrative Biology andValorisation", High Institute of Biotechnology of Monastir, Monastir, Tunisia.
Mariem
M
Belgacem
Research Laboratory "Bioresources: Integrative Biology andValorisation", High Institute of Biotechnology of Monastir, Monastir, Tunisia.
Rabeb
R
Mannai
Research Laboratory "Bioresources: Integrative Biology andValorisation", High Institute of Biotechnology of Monastir, Monastir, Tunisia.
Sami
S
Achour
D000818:Animals; D002104:Cadmium / Q000633:toxicity*; D003300:Copper / Q000633:toxicity*; D004347:Drug Interactions; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D005306:Fertilization / Q000187:drug effects; D007814:Larva / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D008297:Male; D010118:Oxytetracycline / Q000633:toxicity*; D047328:Paracentrotus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D012617:Sea Urchins; D018675:Toxicity Tests
D002104:Cadmium; D003300:Copper; D010118:Oxytetracycline
Cadmium; Copper; Embryo-larval development; Mixture toxicity; Oxytetracycline; Paracentrotus lividus