Effects of toxic chemicals in the marine environment: predictions of impacts from laboratory studies☆

Abstract The degree to which toxicity testing can lead to predictions of long-term environmental consequences of contaminant exposure has been widely debated. Laboratory approaches designed to address both chemical concerns of contaminant bioavailability and persistence in addition to biological concerns of sublethal effects on marine organisms would be most useful in providing the linkage between laboratory and field evaluations. Examples of bioenergetic, developmental, and reproductive abnormalities observed with exposure to lipophilic organic contaminants are discussed in reference to consequences at higher levels of biological organization. Alterations in bioenergetics linked with observations of reduced fecundity and viability of larvae, abnormalities in gamete and embryological development, and reduced reproductive effort provide a strong empirical basis for examination of population responses. Such empirical data can be incorporated into population models to assess the effects of energetic, reproductive and developmental aberrations on population success and provide the basis for further examining the predictive value of toxicity testing.