Effects of ammonia on fertilization, development, and larval survival in the Northern Pacific asteroid, Asterias amurensis.

For developing a complementary test organism to sea urchin during winter in Korea, sensitivities of sperm, embryo, and larvae of Asterias amurensis to un-ionized ammonia were evaluated. The EC₅₀s (Mean ± SD, n = 3) for fertilization and development were 169 ± 62 and 70 ± 19 μg/L, respectively. The 48, 72, and 96-h LC₅₀s for larval survival were 1,674 ± 583, 498 ± 221, and 336 ± 107 μg/L, respectively. The sensitivities of fertilization, development, and larval survival tests with A. amurensis are higher than or comparable to those of sea urchin and other taxonomic groups. Therefore, fertilization, development, and larval survival tests using A. amurensis are suitable for assessing pore water toxicity of marine sediments in Korea.