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Mass mortality of fish embryos in a lake ecosystem attributable to a flame retardant
  • +9
  • Yu Li,
  • Kai Huang,
  • Jieqiong Jiang,
  • Yue Xiao,
  • Lihui An,
  • Shiyi Zhang,
  • Qiyue Kang,
  • Ruichao Chen,
  • Yingting Jia,
  • Xiaohua Zhang,
  • Chunsheng Liu,
  • Jianying Hu
Yu Li
Peking University

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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Kai Huang
Huazhong Agricultural University
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Jieqiong Jiang
Peking University
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Yue Xiao
Peking University
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Lihui An
Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences
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Shiyi Zhang
Peking University
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Qiyue Kang
Peking University
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Ruichao Chen
Peking University
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Yingting Jia
Peking University
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Xiaohua Zhang
Peking University
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Chunsheng Liu
Huazhong Agricultural University
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Jianying Hu
Peking University
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Abstract

Fishery resources are highly threatened by man-made chemicals that cause early life-stage mortality in fish, and could consequently block population recruitment. In a wide-scale and long-term investigation in Taihu Lake, we found that the temporal and spatial variation in embryonic mortality of crucian carp were consistent with the embryonic TDCIPP concentrations. We also confirmed in a well-controlled laboratory study that environmental concentrations of TDCIPP could cause embryonic mortality in crucian carp. Thus, TDCIPP was a major causal agent for mass embryonic mortality of crucian carp in Taihu Lake. These findings highlight the deleterious effect of this high-production-volume industrial chemical on global fishery and suggest ecosystem conservation should account for supervision of ubiquitous chemicals.