ABSTRACT
The pollution of the Western Scheldt forms a serious threat for the marine ecosystems of our coastal waters. To evaluate the hazards of pollution, assessement of the effects of pollutants on marine organisms is necessary. For this reason a study was started on the effects of cadmium and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) on the reproduction of the sea star Asterias rubens. The sea star was choosen in the first place because this species is a common inhabitant of the Dutch coastal waters and occupies the top position in the foodchain algae-mussels-sea stars. Secondly, its reproductive cycle can be studied easily and provides usefull parameters to test toxicity.
