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Ecotoxicity of mixtures of metals to the zebra mussel Dreissena polymorpha

Journal Article · · Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry; (United States)
; ; ; ; ;  [1]
  1. Univ. of Amsterdam (Netherlands). Dept. of Aquatic Ecotoxicology

The effects of equitoxic mixtures of CuCl[sub 2], ZnCl[sub 2], and CdCl[sub 2] on the filtration rate of the freshwater mussel Dreissena polymorpha were determined. The amounts of added metals were expressed in toxic units, and a range of toxic units was tested. Cu + Zn was less than concentration additive, Zn + Cd was concentration additive, and Cu + Cd was more than concentration additive in their effects on the filtration rate of Dreissena polymorpha. An equitoxic mixture of all three metals was concentration additive. The effects of a mixture could not be predicted from the effects of the single metals. The concentrations at which Cu and Cd contributed to the toxicity of a mixture of Cu + Zn + Cd were at or below the NOECs for these metals, determined in single-metal toxicity tests. At low but elevated Cu and Zn concentrations in water, no accumulation of these metals in the mussels took place; Cd, on the contrary, was accumulated at all Cd concentrations in the water.

OSTI ID:
5296756
Journal Information:
Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry; (United States), Journal Name: Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry; (United States) Vol. 13:1; ISSN 0730-7268; ISSN ETOCDK
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English