Evaluation of cadmium toxicity on the population growth of Brachionus plicatilis (O. F. Müller)

The effect of heavy metal (cadmium chloride) toxicity on the reproductive bionomics of the rotifer Brachionus plicatilis was assessed. Bioassay was performed to obtain sub-lethal concentration of cadmium chloride using different concentrations (0.2, 0.4, 0.8, 1.0 and 1.2 mg/l) and the LC sub( 50) value of B. plicatilis was identified as 0.8 mg/l. Based on the LC sub( 50) value, newly hatched neonates were individually culture with five varying concentrations (0.1, 0.3, 0.4, 0.6 and 0.7 mg/l) of cadmium chloride. The life history parameters, such as time (hour) the rotifer released neonates and life span, were evaluated. These results showed that the population growth of B. plicatilis decreased with increasing concentrations of cadmium chloride.