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6112943 
Journal Article 
Sodium Nitrilotriacetate Influences the Larval Development and Metamorphosis of Marine Invertebrates 
Bressan, M; Brunetti, R; Fuolega, M; Marin, MG 
1989 
Nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA) has been used in household laundry detergents since the early 1970s. The effect of NTA on embryonal stages of some marine animals is evaluated. The littoral embryos studied were those of mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) and sea-urchins (Paracentrotus lividus). Larvae studied included those of two Ascidiacea (Botryllus schlosseri and Botrylloides leachi). In all experiments, sea water was collected from at least one mile off shore. Ripe colonies were put into vessels with filtered, 35% salinity sea water. Larvae were collected, upon spawning, with a ' Pasteur ' pipette and deposited in treated sea water. Sperm and eggs of P. lividus were obtained by KCL-method in filtered, 35% saline sea water. Three replications per concentration of NTA were performed. After 40 hr at 25 C, the samples were neutralized with formaldehyde and filtered by a 25-mm diameter millipore filter (1.2 microns). Analysis of variance, G-test and comparison intervals of means were calculated and applied. The greatest sensitivity to NTA was shown by developing eggs of P. lividus. A highly significant increase in somated rod length is evident at concentrations as low as 0.05-0.1 mg/L. Above this concentration, no further significant increase is noticed with increasing NTA concentrations. These results confirm the lack of in vivo toxicity of NTA to aquatic organisms shown in earlier work. Results generally agreed with several reports on the effects of NTA on microorganisms, insects, mammals, and some cultured cells. NTA is clearly able to influence the early development of marine invertebrates at concentrations as low as those that may be present in natural environments. (Friedmann-PTT) 
Water Resources Abstracts; Detergents; Marine animals; Invertebrates; Water pollution effects; Population exposure; Littoral zone; Embryonic growth stage; Larval growth stage; Statistical analysis; Aquatic animals; Toxicity; Saline water; Seawater; Sea urchins; Mussels; Sea squirts