Effect of Toothpaste-derived Fluoridation

The Objective : To test the potential effects of fluoride as derived from toothpaste on the fertilization and developmental process of sea urchins.

Methods/Materials

Forced the release of gametes by injecting sea urchins with potassium chloride. Eggs and sperm acquired from this were mixed in solutions of seawater containing different dilutions of toothpaste.

The success with which the eggs were fertilized was re recorded. Embryos were then allowed to develop overnight to observe the effects that the different concentrations of toothpaste-derived fluoride had on the developmental process of sea urchin embryos.

Another trial was done to test the effects of a fluoridated environment on healthy and developing sea urchin embryos. This was done by isolating embryos into separate wells on a tissue sampling tray.

Results

Toothpaste demonstrated an obvious and detrimental effect on the fertilization and development of sea urchins. Embryos fertilized and developed within toothpaste solutions were either killed or unable to continue developing normally.

Conclusions/Discussion

Although the results of this project do not directly prove that fluoride causes the abnormal development of sea urchin embryos, toothpaste can. In all four trials conducted during this experiment, most samples subjected to unnatural concentrations of fluoride showed abnormal development.

The project tested the effects that toothpaste-derived fluoride has on the fertilization and development of sea urchins.

Science Fair Project done By Stephen K. Lam

 

 

<<Back To Topics Page...................................................................................>>Next Topic

Related Projects : Do Rose Additives in Water Make Drinking ,Does a Chicken Prefer One Color? ,Does Calcium Strengthen Eggshells ,Effect of Bird Formation on Flight Efficiency ,Effect of Food on Clonal Fighting ,Effect of LED Wavelength on the Phototaxis of Artemia ,Effect of Music Tempo on Spider Webs ,Effect of Toothpaste-derived Fluoridation ,Effect of Urbanization on a Woodland Bird Community ,Effect of UV Light Range Radiation