Bioaccumulation of organic and inorganic selenium in a laboratory food chain

Journal Article · Fri Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1993 · Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1002/etc.5620120108· OSTI ID:6332306

Besser, J M; Canfield, T J; La Point, T W ^[1]

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1. Fish and Wildlife Service, Columbia, MO (United States)

Aquatic organisms accumulated selenium (Se) from inorganic and organic Se species via aqueous and food-chain exposure routes. The authors measured aqueous and food-chain Se bioaccumulation from selenate, selenite, and seleno-L-methionine in a laboratory food chain of algae (Chlamydomonas reinhardtii), daphnids (Daphnia magna), and fish (bluegill, Lepomis macrochirus). Selenium concentrations were monitored radiometrically with [sup 75]Se-labeled compounds. All three organisms concentrated Se more strongly from aqueous selenomethionine than from either inorganic Se species. Bioconcentration factors estimated from 1 [mu]g Se/L Se-methionine exposures were approximately 16,000 for algae, 200,000 for daphnids, and 5,000 for bluegills. Algae and daphnids concentrated Se more strongly from selenite than selenate whereas bluegills concentrated Se about equally from both inorganic species. Bioaccumulation of foodborne Se by daphnids and bluegills was similar in food chains dosed with different Se species. Daphnids and bluegills did not accumulate Se concentrations greater than those in their diet, except at very low dietary Se concentrations. Food-chain concentration factors (CFs) for daphnids decreased from near 1.0 to 0.5 with increases in algal Se concentrations, whereas CFs estimated from bluegill exposures averaged 0.5 over a range of foodborne Se concentrations. In exposures based on selenite, bluegills accumulated greater Se concentrations from food than from water.

• OSTI ID: 6332306
• Journal Information: Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry; (United States), Vol. 12:1; ISSN 0730-7268
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
CHLAMYDOMONAS
SENSITIVITY
DAPHNIA
FISHES
FOOD CHAINS
CONTAMINATION
SELENIUM
BIOLOGICAL ACCUMULATION
TRACER TECHNIQUES
WATER POLLUTION
ALGAE
ANIMALS
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
ARTHROPODS
BRANCHIOPODS
CHLOROPHYCOTA
CRUSTACEANS
ELEMENTS
INVERTEBRATES
ISOTOPE APPLICATIONS
MICROORGANISMS
PLANTS
POLLUTION
SEMIMETALS
UNICELLULAR ALGAE
VERTEBRATES
560300* - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology