Date of Award

2009

Publication Type

Master Thesis

Degree Name

M.Sc.

Department

Biological Sciences

Keywords

Health and environmental sciences, Biological sciences

Supervisor

Ken Drouillard

Supervisor

Doug Haffner

Rights

info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess

Abstract

Studies were conducted to determine the effects of different environments and temperatures on chemical exposure dynamics in tadpoles. In the first study, green frog tadpoles (Rana clamitans) were dosed with Performance Reference Compound polychlorinated biphenyls (PRC PCBs) and placed into agricultural, municipal and reference watersheds near Windsor, Ontario, Canada. PRC PCBs were eliminated significantly faster than in previous laboratory studies, with elimination rate coefficients between 0.200 and 1.295 day-1. Tadpoles reached steady state within 23 days and tracked differences in chemical bioavailability among sites.

The elimination of PRC PCBs and DDT were evaluated in green frog and bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana) tadpoles at two temperatures (18 and 25°C). Temperature had no effects on elimination of PRCs or DDT. These results indicate that tadpoles are tolerant of moderate temperature changes in this range. Green frogs eliminated PRCs and DDT faster than bullfrogs (e.g. PRC 43 at 1.278 versus 0.421 day-1).

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