Effect of heavy metals on Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) larvae

• Published in: Ecotoxicology and environmental safety Vol. 39; no. 1; pp. 41 - 47
• Main Authors: Rayms-Keller, A, Olson, K.E, McGraw, M, Oray, C, Carlson, J.O, Beaty, B.J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: San Diego, CA Elsevier 01.01.1998
• Subjects: Aedes - drug effects; Aedes - growth & development; Aedes aegypti; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Animals; Applied ecology; AQUATIC INSECTS; Biological and medical sciences; Cadmium - toxicity; CONTAMINANTES; CONTAMINANTS; Copper - toxicity; Culicidae; DEVELOPMENTAL STAGES; Digestive System - cytology; Digestive System - drug effects; Digestive System - secretion; Eating - drug effects; Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution; Effects of pollution and side effects of pesticides on protozoa and invertebrates; Epithelial Cells - drug effects; Epithelial Cells - pathology; Epithelial Cells - secretion; ETAPAS DE DESARROLLO; Extracellular Matrix - drug effects; Extracellular Matrix - pathology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; HEAVY METALS; INSECTE AQUATIQUE; INSECTOS ACUATICOS; Larva - drug effects; Larva - growth & development; Mercury - toxicity; METAL LOURD; METALES PESADOS; Metals, Heavy - toxicity; Metamorphosis, Biological - drug effects; MORTALIDAD; MORTALITE; MORTALITY; POLLUANT; POLLUTANTS; STADE DE DEVELOPPEMENT; Survival Rate; TOXICIDAD; TOXICITE; TOXICITY; Cadmium; Embryo; Toxicity; Insecta; Mortality; Heavy metal; Pollutant; Larva; Arthropoda; Culicidae; Aedes aegypti; Invertebrata; Copper; Mercury; Vector; Diptera
• ISSN: 0147-6513; 1090-2414
• DOI: 10.1006/eesa.1997.1605

Studies were conducted to determine the biological effects of heavy metals on the development of Aedes aegypti. Embryos immersed in 32 ppm Cu or 5 ppm Cd did not hatch. The arrest of hatching was in part reversible by removal of the heavy metals. The mortality rate of third-instar larvae exposed to heavy metals for 24 h was metal and dose dependent; the 50% lethal concentration (LC50) endpoints were 3.1, 16.5, and 33 ppm for Hg, Cd, and Cu, respectively. Interestingly, a proportion of Aedes aegypti third-instar larvae exposed to either Cu or Cd for 24 h failed to produce a dissectable peritrophic matrix. This failure to produce a dissectable peritrophic matrix also was metal and dose dependent. These results are discussed in the context of Aedes aegypti as a model system for investigating the molecular biological effects of heavy metals in aquatic insects.