The Effect of Water Content and Postirradiation Storage on Radiation Sensitivity of Brine Shrimp Cysts (Eggs)

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Abstract
Eggs of the brine shrimp Artemia salina were conditioned to various water content values and then irradiated in air with up to 600 kr of Co60 gamma rays. Scored for emergence of larvae, the driest eggs showed greater sensitivity than did those at intermediate water content values. From about 1% to about 50% water content, sensitivity was approximately uniform. Eggs soaked in sea water at room temperature for 2 hours were very sensitive. Dry eggs irradiated with 1-Mev electrons in a vacuum and at much higher dose rate showed a hatch rate decreasing not only with radiation dose but also with time of subsequent storage in air. The effects of water content and of postirradiation storage conditions for brine shrimp eggs are similar to such effects in seeds.