Accumulation of cadmium from the dissolved and particulate phases by the freshwater mussel, Elliptio complanata
- Trent Univ., Peterborough, Ontario (Canada). Watershed Ecosystems Graduate Program
The primary objective of the current study was to quantify cadmium accumulation by Elliptio complanata from suspended particulates relative to the dissolved phase. Results obtained from this study suggest that particle physico-chemical properties and their associated cadmium concentrations may play a role in cadmium bioaccumulation by E. complanata. This accumulation of cadmium is due to direct uptake from the particulate phase and/or accumulation of dissolved cadmium which has leached off particles. The importance of the particulate phase in cadmium uptake is related to the type of particle to which mussels are exposed. No significant cadmium bioaccumulation was observed when mussels consumed Cd-contaminated kaolinite or illite clay particles. Significant uptake was observed by mussels exposed to Cd-contaminated montmorillonite clay particles at high bound cadmium levels; however, the dissolved phase accounted for all observed Cd accumulation, suggesting that equilibrium partitioning into the aqueous phase represented the key route of cadmium uptake from clay particles. Cadmium uptake did not occur when mussels were exposed to natural sediment particles containing low organic carbon concentrations, but significant bioaccumulation was observed when mussels consumed Cd-contaminated sediments with relatively high organic carbon contents. Dissolved cadmium concentrations present in sediment suspensions with low and high organic carbon contents were similar, suggesting that the particulate phase was the source of cadmium uptake. These results indicate that particle processing and selective feeding behaviors by filter-feeding bivalves may play a key role in determining the relative importance of dissolved and particulate phases in cadmium bioaccumulation.
- OSTI ID:
- 225198
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-9511137--; ISBN 1-880611-03-1
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Cadmium uptake from cadmium-spiked sediments by four freshwater invertebrates