Ecotoxicological studies of the effects of heavy metals and hydrocarbons on Antarctic and temperate echinoderms ...
Contamination of Antarctic marine environments with heavy metals and hydrocarbons has occurred as a result of human habitation and activities over the past 100 years. Despite a commitment by Antarctic Treaty Nations to minimise environmental harm and remediate existing contaminated sites, there is i...
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | unknown |
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University Of Tasmania
2023
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| Online Access: | https://dx.doi.org/10.25959/23231315.v1 https://figshare.utas.edu.au/articles/thesis/Ecotoxicological_studies_of_the_effects_of_heavy_metals_and_hydrocarbons_on_Antarctic_and_temperate_echinoderms/23231315/1 |
| Summary: | Contamination of Antarctic marine environments with heavy metals and hydrocarbons has occurred as a result of human habitation and activities over the past 100 years. Despite a commitment by Antarctic Treaty Nations to minimise environmental harm and remediate existing contaminated sites, there is insufficient data on the sensitivities of Antarctic marine species to set priorities or targets for clean-up efforts or to establish guidelines for water and sediment quality. As a pre-requisite to collecting these data there is need for relevant and practical toxicity testing protocols for Antarctic species. Morphological deformities of Abatus spp. heart urchins from contaminated sites were quantitatively investigated. Urchins from the contaminated sites were found to be smaller, flatter and wider, particularly those from the inshore areas closest to the contamination source. Obvious deformities occurred in nearly 50% of the inshore urchins. Metal concentrations in carbonate tests of urchins from these sites ... |
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