Effects of elevated carbon dioxide concentrations on survivorship in zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha) and Asian clams (Corbicula fluminea)
- Univ. of Texas, Arlington, TX (United States)
In order to determine their tolerance to elevated concentrations of carbon dioxide, Asian clams and zebra mussels were collected. Subsamples of both species were acclimated to 25{degrees}C>14 days and then exposed in water at 25{degrees}C to various concentrations of CO{sub 2} and survivorship recorded. Zebra mussels were allowed to byssally attach prior to testing. Media CO{sub 2} concentrations were maintained by continuous bubbling with appropriate gas mixtures. Gas treatment included: (1) anoxia; (2) hypercapnic anoxia; and (3) hypercapnic normoxia. Deaths were recorded in subsamples of both species every 12-24 h until 100% mortality was achieved. No significant mortality occurred among specimens of either species in air bubbled control media in any experiment. Mortality time of zebra mussels exposed to anoxia under 100% N{sub 2} was 103.7 h and of Asian clams, 349.7 h. Mortality was more rapid among samples of both species exposed to anoxia under 100% CO{sub 2}, mean time to death being 43.6 h for zebra mussels and 46.3 h for Asian clams. There was no difference in the survivorship of samples of either species under atmospheres of either 5% CO{sub 2} and 95% N{sub 2} or 100% N{sub 2}, however, Asian clams survived anoxia under either atmosphere 4 to 5 times longer than did zebra mussels. There was no significant mortality among Asian clam or zebra mussel samples after a 39 day exposure to hypercapnic normoxia. While exposure to hypercapnic normoxia under an atmosphere of 5% CO{sub 2}:19% O{sub 2}:76% N{sub 2} did not induce mortality in zebra mussel samples, it completely suppressed all byssal thread production after 7 days of exposure and induced all sampled individuals to release from their byssal attachments within 10 days of exposure. These results indicate that CO{sub 2} injection may be an easily applied, cost-effective, environmentally acceptable molluscicide for mitigation and control of raw water system macrofouling by Asian clams and zebra mussels.
- Research Organization:
- Electric Power Research Inst., Palo Alto, CA (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 146966
- Report Number(s):
- EPRI-TR--105116; CONF-9502124--
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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