Bioavailability and chronic toxicity of cadmium in sediment to the estuarine amphipod Leptocheirus plumulosus
- Pacific Northwest National Labs., Sequim, WA (United States). Battelle Marine Sciences Lab.
- Environmental Protection Agency, Newport, OR (United States). Western Ecology Div.
- Environmental Protection Agency, Narragansett, RI (United States). Atlantic Ecology Div.
Numerous studies have demonstrated the efficacy of interstitial water metal concentrations and simultaneously extracted metals/acid-volatile sulfide (SEM/AVS) ratios in explaining the acute toxicity of sediment-associated metals to benthic organisms. However, no full life-cycle chronic marine or estuarine tests have been conducted for this purpose. In this study, cohorts of newborn amphipods, Leptocheirus plumulosus, were exposed to cadmium-spiked estuarine sediment for 28 d to determine effects on mortality, growth, and reproduction relative to interstitial water and SEM/AVS normalization. Seven treatments of cadmium were tested: 0 (control), 0.34, 0.74, 1.31, 1.55, 2.23, and 4.82 M SEM{sub Cd}/AVS ratios (measured concentrations). Interstitial water cadmium (IW{sub Cd}) and sediment concentrations of SEM{sub Cd} and AVS were monitored periodically and by depth during the exposure. When sediment SEM{sub Cd}/AVS ratios were {le} 1.55, mean IW{sub Cd} concentrations were less than the 96-h water-only cadmium LC50 for juvenile and subadult L. plumulosus, and mortality, growth, and reproduction were not affected. When SEM{sub Cd}/AVD ratios were {ge} 2.23, IW{sub Cd} concentrations were more than 100 times greater than the 96-h water-only cadmium LC50, and all amphipods died. These results are consistent with predictions of metal bioavailability from acute tests with metal-spiked sediments, i.e., that sediments with SEM{sub Cd}/AVS ratios < 1 are not toxic, while sediments with SEM{sub Cd}/AVS ratios > 1 may be toxic.
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- OSTI ID:
- 483682
- Journal Information:
- Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, Journal Name: Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry Journal Issue: 12 Vol. 15; ISSN 0730-7268; ISSN ETOCDK
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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