The chelating agent ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) is used throughout the world to improve the yield of early stage D-larvae during bivalve hatchery production. Adding EDTA (12 μM) to seawater significantly increases the survival of Greenshell™ mussel (Perna canaliculus) larvae during their first 48 h of development. However, whether there are benefits of continuing to use EDTA beyond this first stage of larval development remain unknown and were tested in this study. After rearing for 48 h in the presence of EDTA, P. canaliculus larvae were experimentally raised to 22-day post-fertilisation in seawater with and without 12 μM EDTA. The survival, shell length growth, algal ingestion rate, swimming activity and potential toxic metal accumulation by the larvae were compared over this period. There were minimal benefits from continuing addition of EDTA. However, significant changes in metal concentrations within the larvae were observed. Zinc, cadmium and mercury were detected at significantly lower concentrations in 22-day-old larvae reared with EDTA versus those without EDTA. Collectively, the results indicate that the use of EDTA is critical only during the first 48 h of larval development, during which time larval shell formation is initiated and appears highly vulnerable to interference by heavy metal ions.

螯合剂乙二胺四乙酸（EDTA）在世界范围内用于提高双壳孵化场生产中早期D幼虫的产量。在海水中添加EDTA（12μM）可以显着提高Greenshell™贻贝（Perna canaliculus）幼虫在发育的最初48小时内的存活率。然而，在幼虫发育的第一阶段之后继续使用EDTA是否有好处仍然未知，并在本研究中进行了测试。在EDTA存在下饲养48小时后，P。canaliculus在有和没有12μMEDTA的情况下，将海水中的幼虫实验性培养至受精后22天。在此期间比较了幼虫的存活率，壳长增长，藻类摄入率，游泳活动和潜在的有毒金属积累。继续添加EDTA几乎没有带来任何好处。然而，观察到幼虫中金属浓度的显着变化。在22天龄的EDTA饲养幼虫中，发现锌，镉和汞的浓度明显低于未EDTA的幼虫。总的来说，结果表明仅在幼虫发育的前48小时才使用EDTA，这是至关重要的，在此期间，幼虫的壳形成开始并且似乎极易受到重金属离子的干扰。