Excretory Products of Green Mussel Perna viridis L. and their Implications on Power Plant Operation

Authors : J Gunasingh MASILAMONI, J AZARIAH, K NANDAKUMAR

Pages : 117-125

View : 17 | Download : 13

Publication Date : 0000-00-00

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :Excretion in marine animals is considered an important factor in assessing physiological status. Perna viridis, a widely distributed bivalve species, was found to be the dominant insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(>70%); organism in the seawater intake tunnel of Madras Atomic Power Station insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(MAPS);. The excretion patterns insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(ammonia, nitrite, phosphate and fecal matter production); of three different size groups insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(4-5 cm, 6-7 cm, and 8-9 cm shell length); of P. viridis were studied in the laboratory at different salinities insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(15, 20, 25, 30 and 34 ppt);. The amount of excreted products was positively related to the size of the mussels. At ambient salinity, the slope insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(b); values of the regressions against shell length were 1.5 for ammonia and 0.3 for nitrite, nitrate, phosphate, and fecal matter. Lowering of salinity resulted in a reduced rate of excretion for all the parameters studied except for ammonia. Ammonia excretion in all the size groups increased as the salinity was lowered up to 25 ppt; thereafter, the excretion rate was reduced and completely stopped at 15 ppt salinity.
Keywords : Perna viridis, salinity, excretion, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, phosphate, fecal matter