Effects of inorganic mercury on the respiration and the swimming activity of shrimp larvae, Pandalus borealis

Abstract In order to test the sensitivity of respiration (physiological and potential) to mercury (Hg) contamination, larval shrimp Pandalus borealis were exposed to inorganic Hg (0–160 ppb) for 27 h in the laboratory. Oxygen consumption rates (RO 2 ), potential respiration (determined by respiratory electron transfer system activity, ETSA), protein content, and swimming activity for zoeae III and zoeae V stages were measured. For both zoeae stages, ETSA and protein content remained constant after 27 h exposure to 160 ppb Hg whereas RO 2 and swimming activity decreased. This study revealed the impact of different Hg levels and different exposure times on RO 2 of shrimp larvae. After 10 h exposure to 160 ppb Hg, the RO 2 decreased by 43 and 49% in zoeae III and zoeae V stages, respectively. Exposure time of 27 h to 80 ppb Hg and higher, induced paralysis in nearly 100% larvae. Surprisingly, the paralysed larvae displayed almost 50% of the control's RO 2 . The results showed that Hg disturbs a part of the respiration process without modifying the maximum activity of the enzymes involved in the ETSA assay. Therefore, the ETSA assay can not be used as a sublethal bioanalytic probe to detect Hg in short-term exposures. The decline of the RO 2 /ETSA ratios reported here, indicates an inability of contaminated larvae to adapt their metabolism to physiological stress caused by Hg.