Examining the role of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) in larval shellfish production in seawater contaminated with heavy metals

Publication date: Available online 12 October 2019Source: Aquatic ToxicologyAuthor(s): Daniel R McDougall, Andrew Chan, Duncan J McGillivray, Martin D de Jonge, Gordon M Miskelly, Andrew G JeffsAbstractHeavy metal pollution is a concern in many coastal locations where it is frequently deleterious to the survival of young shellfish. Consequently, a great number of commercial shellfish hatcheries around the world rely on the addition of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) to seawater to ensure successful larval production. Despite the importance of this practice to global shellfish production the mode of action of EDTA in larval production remains undetermined. It is assumed EDTA chelates heavy metals in seawater preventing interference in larval development. Larval mussels (Perna canaliculus) raised in seawater with 3 µM EDTA had a 15 fold higher yield than those without EDTA. The concentration and spatial arrangement of heavy metals in larvae as determined by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICPMS) and X-ray Fluorescence Microscopy (XFM) was consistent with reduced bioavailability of several metals, especially copper and zinc. This is the first study to confirm the effectiveness of EDTA for managing metal pollution commonly encountered in coastal shellfish hatcheries.
Source: Aquatic Toxicology - Category: Toxicology Source Type: research