Effects of Elevated Carbon Dioxide Concentrations on Survivorship in Zebra Mussels (Dreissena polymorpha)
Abstract
Many aquatic invertebrate animals, including bivalves, are intolerant of even relatively modest increases in the ambient concentration of carbon dioxide (CO2). This intolerance is based on the chemical reaction of CO with water to form carbonic acid. Carbon dioxide has the potential to be used as a molluscicide for zebra mussel control because these organisms, like almost all bivalves, do not contain the oxygen-carrying proteins to buffer blood pH. Instead, they less efficiently mobilize shell CO3(2) as the main blood buffer. Previous studies have indicated that zebra mussels could be sensitive to elevated carbon dioxide. Pretreatment with CO2 greatly increased the mortality rate of mussels on subsequent exposure to lethal levels of chlorine. It was suggested that initial treatment with carbon dioxide induced valve gaping, which increased mussel sensitivity to chlorination. Carbon dioxide is relatively inexpensive, nonhazardous to humans, environmentally neutral, and readily and rapidly biodegraded by photosynthetic organisms.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 01, 1998
- Accession Number
- ADA360060
Entities
People
- Andrew Miller
- Barry S. Payne
- Ginny Adams
- Milton A. Matthews
- Robert F. Mcmahon