Research Product

We have observed two distinct symptoms of DDT poisoning in penaeid shrimp. In acute bioassays (concentrations of 0.15 parts per billion (ppb) or more), shrimp showed the nervous impairments--tremors, hyperexcitability, and finally paralysis--which are characteristic of arthropods. In chronic tests, when less DDT was used, shrimp became lethargic, refused food, and finally died, but at no time were nervous disorders noted. Analyses of shrimp in all tests showed that shrimp accumulated more DDT in the hepatopancreas than in other organs. We present data which demonstrate that when living shrimp were exposed to DDT, concentrations of some cations in the hepatopacreas became depressed.