Effects of coal‐gasification sour water on Xenopus laevis¹

Research sponsored by Environmental Protection Agency Agreement No. 79‐D‐X0533 and Office of Health and Environmental Research, U. S. Department of Energy, under contract W‐7405‐eng‐26 with the Union Carbide Corporation.

embryos

Abstract

The untreated sour water from a coal‐gasification process has been examined for toxic and teratogenic effects on the embryos of the amphibian Xenopus laevis. Embryos were exposed to varying concentrations of sour water, and the number of deaths and abnormals as well as motility, pigmentation, and stage of development were monitored. Increases in toxicity and teratogenicity were directly related to both concentration and time of exposure. The sour water also caused a reduction in motility, pigmentation, and rate of embryonic development.

Key words:

• toxicity
• teratogenicity
• amphibian embryogenesis

Notes

Research sponsored by Environmental Protection Agency Agreement No. 79‐D‐X0533 and Office of Health and Environmental Research, U. S. Department of Energy, under contract W‐7405‐eng‐26 with the Union Carbide Corporation.

T.W.S. was supported in part by Oak Ridge Associated Universities short‐visit research participation S‐contract No. S‐1951.