Acute toxicity of zinc in different ages of Daphnia magna

Abstract

Zinc is an essential element for physiological functions of organisms (e.g., growth and reproduction). However, the excess of zinc uptake causes toxic to the organisms and affects their physiological systems. In this study, we clarified the acute toxicity of ZnSO₄ in different ages of D. magna. The results showed that the LC50s at 48 h of 1, 3, and 5-day-old D. magna were 1.46 ± 0.05, 1.52 ± 0.06 and 2.29 ± 0.02 mg/l, respectively. This significantly higher LC50 of the 5-day-old D. magna might be a result of its lower surface area to volume ratio when compared to other experimental conditions.