Sandy beach molluscs as possible bio-indicators of metal pollution 1. field survey. [South Africa]
A great variety of molluscs occur around the South African coast, extending as it does from the sub-tropical environment of Natal to the temperate environment of the Cape. The potential of many of these molluscs as bio-indicators has been discussed in general terms on the basis of the reported use of related species (DARRACOTT and WATLING 1975) and certain of these, among them the bivalve Donax serra and gastropod Bullia rhodostoma, have been included in the national marine pollution monitoring program. The aims of this preliminary investigation are: to determine the metal concentrations in D. serra and B. rhodostoma growing along a 500 km stretch of the southern African coast, supplementing data from sediment and water sampling surveys of the same region; and to determine in laboratory studies whether these molluscs accumulate metals, thus meeting some at least of the criteria for monitoring organisms. The field survey data are presented in this paper.
- Research Organization:
- Univ. of Port Elizabeth, South Africa
- OSTI ID:
- 5129154
- Journal Information:
- Bull. Environ. Contam. Toxicol.; (United States), Vol. 31:3
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
CADMIUM
BIOLOGICAL ACCUMULATION
CHROMIUM
COPPER
LEAD
MOLLUSCS
SAMPLING
NICKEL
WATER POLLUTION
BIOLOGICAL INDICATORS
ZINC
FIELD TESTS
SOUTH AFRICA
AFRICA
ANIMALS
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
ELEMENTS
INVERTEBRATES
METALS
POLLUTION
TESTING
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
520200* - Environment
Aquatic- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (-1989)
560304 - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology- Invertebrates- (-1987)