EMBRYOTOXIC EFFECTS OF WATER AND SEDIMENT FROM NIF BROOK (WESTERN, TURKEY) ON SEA URCHIN Paracentrotus lividus

WOS: 000266898500002In this investigation embryo toxicity of water and sediment samples collected from Nif Brook of Izmir, Turkey has been studied. Five sampling sites from the brook were selected. Sea urchin embryos were utilized for evaluating the toxicity of water and sediment. The effects on developing embryos were evaluated by scoring developmental defects. The water and sediment samples were tested with 0.001, 0.01, 0.1 dilutions in natural sea water. All water and sediment samples of the brook were assessed to be toxic according to the sea urchin embryotoxicity results. The embryotoxicity of water samples concentration-dependent and significant growth reduction at the early life stages and an increase in larval malformations as skeleton deformities at the pluteus stage were observed (approximately 59% in 0.001 ml/ml from station 5). The most polluted sediment samples displayed a dramatic embryotoxicity, up to approximately 98% developmental arrest in embryos reared in 0.1 g/ml of sediment from station 5.University Faculty of Arts & Sciences, Biology Department [FEF 2006-058]The present study was conducted in the context of Scientific Research Project of Celal Bayar University Faculty of Arts & Sciences, Biology Department (Project No: FEF 2006-058)