Heritable reproductive effects of benzo[a]pyrene on the fathead minnow (<i>Pimephales promelas</i>)

Abstract

Abstract Environmental toxicologists rarely investigate multigeneration effects of aquatic contaminants. In this study we investigated the survivorship of fathead minnow larvae two generations removed from an exposure to the potent mutagen benzo[a]pyrene. The F2 broods with a grandparental exposure history showed a marked decrease in survival. In the highest-exposure group, reproductive capacity and larval survivorship were significantly lower than the solvent control.