THE EFFECT OF COPPER (II) ON SURVIVAL, RESPIRATION, AND HEART RATE IN THE COMMON BLUE MUSSEL, MYTILUS EDULIS

Area of Science:

• Marine biology
• Environmental toxicology
• Biochemistry

Background:

• Copper(II) is a common environmental contaminant.
• Marine bivalves like M. edulis are sensitive to heavy metal pollution.
• Understanding copper toxicity is crucial for aquatic ecosystem health.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the effects of Copper(II) on M. edulis.
• To establish the toxicity threshold of Copper(II) for M. edulis.
• To investigate the detoxification capabilities of M. edulis.

Main Methods:

• Exposure of M. edulis to varying concentrations of Cu(II).
• Monitoring survival rates, heart rate, and respiration.
• Assessing detoxification by live animals and heat-killed homogenates.

Main Results:

• Copper(II) was found to be toxic to M. edulis, causing significant respiratory and cardiovascular depression.
• A toxicity threshold of 0.2 mg/l for free Cu(II) was established.
• Both live M. edulis and their heat-killed homogenates demonstrated an ability to detoxify solutions with limited Cu(II) content.

Conclusions:

• Copper(II) poses a significant toxicological risk to M. edulis.
• M. edulis exhibits a degree of resilience through active detoxification mechanisms.
• Heat-killed homogenates offer a potential method for copper remediation in aquatic environments.