Avoidance response of the estuarine amphipod Eohaustorius estuarius to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon-contaminated, field-collected sediments

Journal Article · Tue Jun 01 00:00:00 EDT 1999 · Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1897/1551-5028(1999)018<1232:AROTEA>2.3.CO;2· OSTI ID:6282353

Kravitz, M J ^[1]; Lamberson, J O; Ferraro, S P; Swartz, R C; Boese, B L; Specht, D T ^[2]

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1. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC (United States). Office of Water
2. Environmental Protection Agency, Newport, OR (United States)

Amphipods (Eohaustorius estuarius) were placed in two-chamber containers with different combinations of three contaminated sediments and a control sediment, and their distribution was determined after 2 or 3 d. Amphipods avoided the sediment with the highest PAH contamination and one of two sediments with moderate PAH concentrations. In the moderately contaminated sediment avoided by amphipods, the (avoidance) response was more sensitive than mortality as a biological indicator of unacceptable sediment contamination. The avoidance response in this case likely represents an early indication of potential mortality from sediment exposure. Population levels of amphipods in moderately to heavily PAH-contaminated sediments may be influenced by a combination of avoidance behavior and toxicity/lethality.

• OSTI ID: 6282353
• Journal Information: Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, Vol. 18:6; ISSN 0730-7268
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
BEHAVIOR
BIOLOGICAL INDICATORS
CRUSTACEANS
POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
SEDIMENTS
TOXICITY
WATER POLLUTION
ANIMALS
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
AROMATICS
ARTHROPODS
HYDROCARBONS
INVERTEBRATES
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION
540320* - Environment
Aquatic- Chemicals Monitoring &amp; Transport- (1990-)
560300 - Chemicals Metabolism &amp; Toxicology