Evaluating sublethal indicators of stress in Asiatic clams (Corbicula fluminea) caged in an urban stream
- Univ. of Georgia, Athens, GA (United States). College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
Freshwater bivalves have been used extensively to monitor chemical accumulation in field exposures, although little information is available on the use of biomarker measurements in field exposures with bivalves. DNA strand breakage, growth rate, condition index and percentage tissue water were measured in freshwater Asiatic clams (Corbicula fluminea) exposed in-situ in a stream that receives urban and industrial stormwater runoff and in a non-impacted reference stream. After 4 weeks exposure, DNA strand lengths in foot tissue from Trail Creek-exposed clams were significantly shorter than DNA from reference clams. These results suggest a reduction in DNA integrity in Trail Creek-exposed clams, possibly indicating exposure to genotoxic chemicals. No significant differences were observed in the growth rates of clams. However, a significant inverse relationship was detected between condition index and % tissue water for all clams. Furthermore, site-specific differences in percentage tissue water and condition indices were observed after 2 and 10 weeks exposure. For this study DNA strand breakage, condition indices, and tissue hydration appear to be more sensitive indicators of sublethal toxicity than growth.
- OSTI ID:
- 320944
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-9704249-; TRN: IM9910%%134
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 7. symposium on toxicology and risk assessment: ultraviolet radiation and the environment, St. Louis, MO (United States), 7-9 Apr 1997; Other Information: PBD: 1998; Related Information: Is Part Of Environmental toxicology and risk assessment: Seventh volume; Little, E.E.; DeLonay, A.J. [eds.] [Geological Survey, Columbia, MO (United States)]; Greenberg, B.M. [ed.] [Univ. of Waterloo, Ontario (Canada). Dept. of Biology]; PB: 427 p.; ASTM special technical publication, Volume 1333
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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