EFFECTS OF METAL-IONS AND CCL4 ON SEA-URCHIN EMBRYO (PARACENTROTUS-LIVIDUS)

  • 1 January 1984
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 43  (2) , 317-323
Abstract
The determination of embryotoxicity is an experimental tool for detecting the risks of environmental pollutants. Fertilized sea urchin eggs were observed morphologically during exposure to heavy metal salts or CCl4 to test possible differences in toxicity of various classes of poisons. HgCl2 was the most active salt, still harmful at 0.25 .times. 10-6 M, while K2Cr2O7, CdCl2 and Pb(NO3)2 blocked embryo development at 0.25 .times. 10-4-0.25 .times. 10-5 M. CCl4 per se did not affect the gastrulation at concentrations up to 3520 ppm, or potentiate the toxicity of the metal salts. The selective susceptibility of the developmental phases of sea urchin embryos to different compounds rendered this simple morphological study a sensitive and reliable model for predicting the toxicity of environmental pollutants.