Copper toxicity in tropical barnacles,Balanus Amphitrite amphitrite and Balanus tintinnabulum tintinnabulum

The effect of Cu on survival time, O₂ consumption and accumulation of Cu in barnacles, Balanus amphitrite amphitrite and Balanus tintinnabulum tintinnabulum was studied. B. amphitrite amphitrite were found to survive longer than B. tintinnabulum tintinnabulum at all concentrations of Cu. Copper reduced the O₂ consumption of both barnacles, but the reduction was greater with B. tintinnabulum tintinnabulum. Copper accumulation in soft parts of the barnacles increased with increasing Cu concentration and time. The barnacles accumulated Cu up to a particular limit (166.7 ± 8.98 μg g^?1 in B. amphitrite amphitrite and 173.6 ± 12.17 μg g^?1 in B. tintinnabulum tintinnabulum) at all Cu concentrations beyond which they died.