Keywords: 
• heavy metal /
• Ruditapes philippinarum /
• Apostichopus japonicus /
• Paralichthys olivaceus /
• acute toxicity /
• LC₅₀

Abstract: Marine pollution is one of the major issues of global concern. Large quantities of heavy metals enter the aquatic environment via natural and anthropogenic sources every year. Heavy metals in excessive amounts in marine environments may adversely affect the growth, survival, and reproduction of aquatic organisms. The sensitivities of different aquatic organisms to heavy metals are different. Therefore, the exploration of the acute toxicity effects of heavy metals on aquaculture organisms is very important for the sustainable development of aquaculture and risk assessment on marine aquaculture zones. In the present study, the single toxic effects on the Ruditapes philippinarum, Apostichopus japonicus and Paralichthys olivaceus from static exposure to Cd, Cr, Cu, Zn, Hg and As and the difference in acute toxicity of heavy metals for these three aquaculture organisms were studied. The results indicated that the median lethal concentrations (LC₅₀) of acute toxicity of different heavy metals at 96 h to R. philippinarum, A. japonicus and P. olivaceus were 0.134 mg·L^-1, 0.0246 mg·L^-1, 0.238 mg·L^-1 for Hg; 0.323 mg·L^-1, 0.0499 mg·L^-1, 0.975 mg·L^-1 for Cu; 2.464 mg·L^-1, 0.301 mg·L^-1, 8.345 mg·L^-1 for As; 2.843 mg·L^-1, 1.111 mg·L^-1, 6.787 mg·L^-1 for Cd; 30.246 mg·L^-1, 0.449 mg·L^-1, 17.114 mg·L^-1 for Zn; 32.591 mg·L^-1, 2.205 mg·L^-1, 95.137 mg·L^-1 for Cr, respectively. The toxicity of Cd, Cr, Cu, Zn, Hg and As were in the order of Hg > Cu > As > Cd > Zn > Cr for R. philippinarum; Hg > Cu > As > Zn > Cd > Cr for A. japonicus and Hg > Cu > Cd > As > Zn > Cr for P. olivaceus, respectively. In conclusion, Hg and Cu showed the strongest toxicity for R. philippinarum, A. japonicus and P. olivaceus, followed by Cd, As and Zn, while Cr showed the weakest toxicity for these three aquaculture organisms.