Toxicology of Model Naphthenic Acids in the Great Pond Snail Lymnaea stagnalis
Date
2015-05-01
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Abstract
Naphthenic acids (NAs), carboxylic acids with large aliphatic tail groups, are an important class of oil sands tailings pond toxins. In this study, the effects of a mixture of model NAs on the pond snail Lymnaea stagnalis were examined during various life stages. Hatching rate was progressively affected over a range of 20-75 mg/L NAs, while embryo somatic growth was progressively affected over a range of 30-75 mg/L NAs. My data also provides evidence that NA molecular geometry is a factor in selective permeability of NAs into Lymnaea’s gelatinous egg masses. Adult survival, growth, feeding, fecundity and behavior were progressively affected over a range of 10-50 mg/L NAs, but not at 0.1-4 mg/L NAs. Taken together, my data support the conclusion that low molecular weight NAs have a negative impact on various physiological and behavioral aspects of this freshwater gastropod that escalates over a range of environmentally realistic doses.
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Physiology
Citation
Johnston, C. (2015). Toxicology of Model Naphthenic Acids in the Great Pond Snail Lymnaea stagnalis (Master's thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca. doi:10.11575/PRISM/28492