• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.234-242
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• 2014

In this study, gametotoxicity and embryotoxicity experiments using Hemicentrotus pulcherrimus were carried out to investigate the ecotoxicological effects of bisphenol A (BPA). We examined the effects of BPA on fertilization and normal embryogenesis at various concentrations (0, 300, 500, 800, 1000, and 1500 ppb). The results demonstrated that the fertilization rates were not changed. The normal embryogenesis rates were gradually decreased in a dose-dependent manner, and were significantly lowered following 800 ppb BPA treatment ($EC_{50}$=1056.1 ppb, 95% Cl=981.8~1163.9 ppb). The observed effective concentration and the lowest observed effective concentration of the normal embryogenesis rate were 500 ppb and 800 ppb, respectively. The embryos showed retarded development at each tested concentration, indicating the fact the embryonic development was delayed due to the increasing concentrations of BPA. Furthermore, we examined the expression of glutathione S-transferase (GST) mRNA at various concentrations of BPA in H. pulcherrimus. Interestingly, it was found that the expression level of GST mRNA was significantly increased in the experimental group exposed to BPA. Based on these results, we suggested that BPA at greater than 800 ppb has a toxic effect during the early embryonic stages of H. pulcherrimus, and GST mRNA may be used as a biomarker for risk assessment of BPA contamination.