Making Good Marine Mammal Water Better, Testing Relative Toxicity of an Organic Extract of Life Support Water
Abstract
Current life support technology allows maintenance of marine mammals in clear aesthetically pleasing water while minimizing water loss or change. Efficient filtration and treatment with ozone, chlorine or bromine can minimize the need for water changes needed to meet regulatory requirements while recycling virtually all of the water. It is well understood that overuse of oxidants can cause injury to the animals,1 but effects of disinfection by-products are not well understood. Some disinfection by-products may accumulate over time increasing exposure. This study compared the mammalian cell cytotoxicity of an organic extract of exhibit water before use and from two exhibits, one housing Bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus), and the other housing California Sea Lions (Zalophus californianus). The assay used Chinese Hamster Ovary cells in tissue culture for the test. These techniques have been used to study cytotoxicity in human recreational pools,2 and in drinking water3,4. There was significantly increased toxicity in the extracts from the exhibit waters than from the new artificial salt water. The sea lion exhibit showed greater toxicity than the dolphin exhibit. This assay could be used to improve life support systems by measuring the cytotoxicity when changes are made to methods for water reuse. The results from this small study using this sensitive test suggest that further improvements can be made in life support systems for marine mammals.
* Presenting author
Literature Cited
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2. Plewa MJ, Wagner ED, Mitch WA. 2011. Comparative mammalian cell cytotoxicity of water concentrates from disinfected recreational pools. Environ Sci Technol. 45:4159–4165.
3. Plewa MJ, Wagner ED. Mammalian Cell Cytotoxicity and Genotoxicity of Disinfection By-Products. Denver, CO: Water Research Foundation; 2009:134.
4. Plewa MJ, Kargalioglu Y, Vankerk D, Minear RA, Wagner ED. 2002. Mammalian cell cytotoxicity and genotoxicity analysis of drinking water disinfection by-products. Environ Mol Mutagen. 40:134–142.