Influence of Hexagenia on the fate and bioavailability of contaminants in sediment

Thesis/Dissertation · Wed Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1986

OSTI ID:6705745

Gerould, S

The influence of sediment dwelling macroinvertebrates on fate and bioavailability of contaminants in freshwater systems was determined using the burrowing mayfly, Hexagenia limbata, as a representative benthic organism. Two series of experiments were conducted: the first to determine the effect of mayflies on movement of contaminants into sediment and organisms, and the second to examine the effect of mayflies on release of contaminants from sediments to the water column and their subsequent accumulation in fish. Concentrations of /sup 14/C labelled DDT, hexachlorobenzene (HCB), and dihexylphthalate (DHP) in water were 0.11 +/- 0.01, 0.062 +/- 0.005 and 0.006 +/- 0.007 ppb, respectively. Total mass of DHP in the burrow wall was about equal to mass on the surface, indicating that mayflies were capable of doubling the amount of DHP sorbed per unit surface area of sediment. Adsorption of contaminants from water pumped through mayfly burrows increased depth of penetration and mass of DDT, DHP, and HCB in sediments. The influence of Hexagenia burrowing activity on the bioavailability of sediment-bound polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) to fathead minnows, Pimephales promelas was examined in a 33 d experiment in flow-through aquaria. The difference in steady-state concentration indicated that mayfly activity increased uptake of total PCBs into fish by a factor of 1.8. Hydrophilic PCBs accounted for most of the increased uptake in fish. Concentrations in fish from the two treatments were similar for hydrophobic PCBs. Steady-state concentration and k/sub 2/ were faster for mayflies than for fish. Hexagenia increased availability of lower chlorinated PCBs in sediment to fathead minnows, but had no effect on the concentration of higher chlorinated PCBs.

• Research Organization: Cornell Univ., Ithaca, NY (USA)
• OSTI ID: 6705745
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

520101* -- Environment
Aquatic-- Basic Studies-- Radiometric Techniques-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ANIMALS
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
AROMATICS
ARTHROPODS
BENTHOS
BIOLOGICAL AVAILABILITY
CARBON 14 COMPOUNDS
CHLORINATED AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
CHROMATOGRAPHY
DDT
EPHEMEROPTERA
FISHES
GAS CHROMATOGRAPHY
HALOGENATED AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
INSECTICIDES
INSECTS
INTERFACES
INVERTEBRATES
ISOTOPE APPLICATIONS
LABELLED COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
PESTICIDES
POLLUTANTS
SEDIMENT-WATER INTERFACES
SEDIMENTS
SEPARATION PROCESSES
TRACER TECHNIQUES
VERTEBRATES