Exposure to low environmental copper concentrations does not affect survival and development in Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) early life stages

Julia Farkas; Linn H Svendheim; Tjalling Jager; Tomasz M Ciesielski; Trond Nordtug; Bjarne Kvæstad; Bjørn H Hansen; Torstein Kristensen; Dag Altin; Pål A Olsvik

doi:10.1016/j.toxrep.2021.11.012

Exposure to low environmental copper concentrations does not affect survival and development in Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) early life stages

Toxicol Rep. 2021 Nov 24:8:1909-1916. doi: 10.1016/j.toxrep.2021.11.012. eCollection 2021.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ SINTEF Ocean, Environment and New Resources, Trondheim, Norway.
² Nord University, Faculty of Biosciences and Aquaculture, Bodø, Norway.
³ DEBtox Research, Stevensweert, the Netherlands.
⁴ Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway.
⁵ BioTrix, Trondheim, Norway.

Abstract

In this study we investigated potential impacts of Cu exposure at low, environmentally relevant, concentrations on early live stages of Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua). Cod embryos and larvae were exposed to 0.5 μg/L (low), 2 μg/L (medium), and 6 μg/L (high) Cu from 4 to 17 days post fertilisation (dpf). Hatching success, mortality, oxygen consumption, biometric traits, and malformations were determined. A dynamic energy budget (DEB) model was applied to identify potential impacts on bioenergetics. A positive correlation was found between Cu exposure concentrations and Cu body burden in eggs, but not in larvae. The tested concentrations did not increase mortality in neither embryos nor larvae, or larvae deformations. Further, the DEB model did not indicate effects of the tested Cu concentrations.

Keywords: Atlantic cod; Copper; DEB; Fish early life stages; Low concentrations; Marine environment.