Developmental toxicity of selenium to Dolly Varden char (Salvelinus malma)

Environ Toxicol Chem. 2010 Dec;29(12):2800-5. doi: 10.1002/etc.325.

Abstract

Gametes were collected from Dolly Varden char (Salvelinus malma) from waterbodies in a region exposed to mining-related selenium (Se) releases in British Columbia, Canada. Fertilized eggs were incubated in a laboratory and deformities were assessed on newly-hatched alevins using a graduated severity index. No effects were observed on egg or alevin survival or larval weight across the studied exposure range of 5.4 to 66 mg/kg dry weight in egg. Length of some larvae was reduced at the highest egg Se concentrations and a clear residue-response relationship was observed for larval deformity. The egg concentration corresponding to a 10% increase in the frequency of deformity (EC10) was 54 mg/kg dry weight, which is substantially higher than reported for other cold-water fish species.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • British Columbia
  • Female
  • Mining
  • Oncorhynchus / abnormalities*
  • Oncorhynchus / embryology
  • Reproduction / drug effects
  • Selenium / analysis
  • Selenium / poisoning*
  • Toxicity Tests / methods
  • Water Pollutants, Chemical / analysis
  • Water Pollutants, Chemical / poisoning*

Substances

  • Water Pollutants, Chemical
  • Selenium