The vast majority of theses in this collection are open access and freely available. There are a small number of theses that have access restricted to the WWU campus. For off-campus access to a thesis labeled "Campus Only Access," please log in here with your WWU universal ID, or talk to your librarian about requesting the restricted thesis through interlibrary loan.

Date of Award

Spring 2023

Document Type

Masters Thesis

Department or Program Affiliation

Biology

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Biology

First Advisor

Cooper, W. James, 1969-

Second Advisor

Lemkau, Karin

Third Advisor

Olson, M. Brady (Michael Brady)

Abstract

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are a group of 209 highly stable molecules that were used extensively in industry. Although their commercial use ceased in 1979, they are still present in many aquatic ecosystems due to improper disposal, oceanic currents, atmospheric deposition, and hydrophobic nature. PCBs pose a significant and ongoing threat to the development and sustainability of aquatic organisms. Our hypothesis is that PCB concentration will significantly affect development. Zebrafish (Danio rerio) were exposed to a standard PCB mixture (Aroclor 1254) for the first 5 days post fertilization, as there is a gap in knowledge during this important developmental period for fish (i.e., organization of the body). This PCB mixture was formally available commercially and has a high prevalence in PCB contaminated sites. We tested for the effects of PCB dosage on zebrafish survival, rate of metamorphosis, feeding efficiency, and growth. We found significant, dose-dependent effects of PCB exposure on mortality, feeding efficiency, and growth, but did not see a clear effect of PCBs on the rate of zebrafish metamorphosis. Most importantly, we identified a threshold PCB dosage beyond which PCB exposure had a significant impact on life-critical processes. This can further inform local management decisions in environments experiencing PCB contamination.

Type

Text

Keywords

Polychlorinated biphenyls, Zebrafish, Development, Aquatic Management, Persistent Organic Pollutants

Publisher

Western Washington University

OCLC Number

1380360532

Subject – LCSH

Polychlorinated biphenyls; Zebra danio--Development; Persistent pollutants; Ecosystem management

Format

application/pdf

Genre/Form

masters theses

Language

English

Rights

Copying of this document in whole or in part is allowable only for scholarly purposes. It is understood, however, that any copying or publication of this document for commercial purposes, or for financial gain, shall not be allowed without the author’s written permission.

Download

Included in

Biology Commons

Share

COinS