Comparison of the lethal effect of CO2 and acidification on red sea bream (Pagrus major) during the early developmental stages.

To compare the acute toxicity of CO(2)- and HCl-acidified seawater, eggs and larvae of a marine fish, Pagrus major, were exposed to seawater equilibrated with CO(2)-enriched gas mixtures (CO(2)=5% or 10%, O(2)=20.95% balanced with N(2)) or seawater acidified with 1 N HCl at two pH levels (pH 6.2 (=5% CO(2)) and 5.9 (=10% CO(2))) for 6 h (eggs) or 24 h (larvae). Mortalities of eggs were 85.8% (CO(2)) and 3.6% (HCl) at pH 6.2, and 97.4% (CO(2)) and 0.9% (HCl) at pH 5.9, while those of larvae were 61.2% (CO(2)) and 1.6% (HCl) at pH 6.2, and 100% (CO(2)) and 5.0% (HCl) at pH 5.9. Thus, previous research on the effects of acidified seawater on marine organisms, as a substitute for CO(2), has largely underestimated the toxic effects of CO(2).