TESTS OF TOXICITY AND TERATOGENICITY IN BIPHASIC VERTEBRATES TREATED WITH HEAVY-METALS (CR3+, AL3+, CD2+)

Developmental toxicity of chromium(III), aluminium(III) and cadmium(II ) were evaluated by examining abnormalities and mortality in embryos b elonging to different species of amphibians. Cr(III) and Al(III) are l ethal at 1.5 mM concentration, and seriously affect the differentiatio n of central nervous system, skeleton and eye, and cause cephalic and trunk oedemas at lower concentrations, being aluminium significantly m ore harmful than chromium. Cd(II), tested only in P. waltl, is highly toxic: embryos exposed to concentrations ranging from 0.18 to 50 mu M display malformations, delay and arrest of development in a dose depen dent manner.