Accumulation of Heavy Metals in the Nauplii of Artemia salina

Abstract

Artemia salina cysts (San Francisco Bay Brand) were exposed in seawater containing multiple concentrations of either a single heavy metal (Hg, Cu, Zn, Pb, Cd, Co, Ni, Cr, Mn and Fe) or combination of heavy metals. The heavy metal accumulation in Artemia nauplii increased linearly with an increase in the heavy metal concentration in water. The metals could be detected in nauplii exposed to a single heavy metal at dosages of 5 μg/L for Hg, Zn, Mn, Fe and Cu; 25 μg/L for Cd and Cr; 50 μg/L for Co; 100 mUg/L for Ni; and 250 μg/L for Pb. Cysts exposed to several heavy metal combinations had minimum effective dosages equal to or lower than the single heavy metals- 5 μg/L for Cu, Cr, Zn, Mn and Fe; 25 μg/L for Cd and Ni; 50 μg/L for Co; and 250 μg/L for Pb. The accumulation of Cu, Ni and Co by Artemiu nauplii did not differ for animals exposed to single or combined heavy metal solutions. Cr, Zn and Pb had a synergistic effect of heavy metal uptake in combined heavy metal element solutions, however, Fe, Cd and Mn had an antagonistic effect.