Toxicity and bioaccumulation of soil PCBs in crickets: Comparison of laboratory and field studies

Journal Article · Mon Nov 01 04:00:00 EST 1993 · Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1002/etc.5620121117· OSTI ID:5817375

Paine, J M; McKee, M J; Ryan, M E ^[1]

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1. Southern Illinois Univ., Carbondale, IL (United States). Cooperative Wildlife Research Lab. and Dept. of Zoology

Laboratory and field studies were used to investigate toxicity and bioaccumulation of PCBs in crickets exposed to contaminated soil. A 14-d laboratory soil bioassay with the house cricket (Acheta domesticus) yielded an LC50 of 1,200 ppm Aroclor 1254. Mean whole-body concentrations of Aroclor 1254 in exposed crickets were 11, 48, 92, 149, and 144 ppm for soil test concentrations of 100, 250, 500, 1,000, and 2,000 ppm, respectively. A whole-body concentration of about 150 ppm appears to be a threshold concentration above which acute mortality will be observed. House crickets placed in cages on a PCB-contaminated landfill accumulated 1.6 and 0.9 ppm of PCBs after 3 and 7 d of exposure, respectively. Although this represents a rapid uptake of PCBs, whole-body concentrations remained considerably below levels expected to cause acute mortality. Abundance of another species, the field cricket (Gryllus pennsylvanicus), was investigated using pitfall traps placed at the PCB-contaminated landfill and a reference site. No adverse effect on abundance was observed at the contaminated site, nor was pitfall trap success correlated to soil PCB concentration. These data indicate that PCBs in soil can rapidly move into epigeic fauna but that the likelihood of acquiring sufficient body burdens to cause acute mortality is low.

• OSTI ID: 5817375
• Journal Information: Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry; (United States), Journal Name: Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry; (United States) Vol. 12:11; ISSN 0730-7268; ISSN ETOCDK
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540220* -- Environment
Terrestrial-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
560300 -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ANIMALS
AROMATICS
ARTHROPODS
BIOLOGICAL ACCUMULATION
CHLORINATED AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
CONTAMINATION
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
HALOGENATED AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
INSECTS
INVERTEBRATES
ORGANIC CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
POLYCHLORINATED BIPHENYLS
SENSITIVITY
SOILS
TOXICITY