Accumulation of Yellow Phosphorus by Several Marine Invertebrates and Seaweed

Abstract

Lobsters, clams, quahogs, periwinkles, mussels, starfish, and seaweed accumulated yellow phosphorus from sea water containing this element. In an experiment exposing all of the organisms to 15 ± 9 μg/liter yellow phosphorus for 48 hr, the concentration of yellow phosphorus in whole animals ranged from 10 (mussels) to 40 (periwinkles) times the seawater level. The highest concentrations of yellow phosphorus were found in the pyloric caeca of starfish (100 times sea water), and in the ovary and hepatopancreas of lobster (300 and 1000 times sea water). Periwinkles, mussels, seaweed, and a quahog, clam, and starfish contained no yellow phosphorus 7 days after transfer to sea water free of yellow phosphorus.