Project Type
Poster
Publication Date
4-15-2022
Department or Program
Earth and Environmental Science
College
College of Arts and Sciences
Faculty Mentor #1
Frankel, Tyler
Abstract
The USEPA recommends that Cl– concentrations do not exceed a four-day average of 230 mg/L more than once every 3 years, however concentrations of 600 mg/L have been measured during winter. Little is known about the effects of these concentrations, on sublethal endpoints in invertebrates. Thus, the goals of this study were to assess the effects of aqueous NaCl and MgCl2 exposure on 1) Physa acuta adult mobility endpoints 2) Adult embryonic deposition behavior and 3) Embryonic viability and development. Adults were exposed to 0, 100, 250, 500, and 1000mg/L NaCl or MgCl2 for 7d using static replacement. On days 1, 3, and 7 individuals were placed into a recording chamber and mobility was recorded and analyzed using the software ToxTrac (v. 2.83). During adult exposure any embryo clutches deposited were collected and embryos were counted. Newly deposited (<24hr old) embryo clutches from breeding pairs were collected and exposed to 0, 100, 250, or 500 mg/L NaCl or MgCl2 using a static exposure method and photographed daily. Viability, developmental stage, and hatching success of each embryo was assessed daily for ten days. Results of these exposures suggest dose-dependent decreases in embryonic viability and rate of development as well as decreases in mobility endpoints and embryo/clutch deposition. More severe effects were caused by MgCl2 exposure. As there is currently no research on the effects of NaCl or MgCl2 on P. acuta, these findings provide novel insight into the impacts of these two commonly utilized deicers on a non-model freshwater invertebrate species, suggesting that similar effects may also be exerted on endangered or keystone aquatic species.