Is porewater an important route of metals to macrobenthic organisms? Example of an estuarine field study

Conference · Sun Dec 31 00:00:00 EST 1995

OSTI ID:201246

Srinetr, V; Baeyens, W ^[1]; Ysebaert, T; Meire, P ^[2]

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1. Free Univ., Brussels (Belgium). Lab. for Analytical Chemistry
2. Inst. of Nature Conservation, Hasselt (Belgium)

Porewater is recently hypothesized as a direct and important route of metal exposure to benthic organisms. However, only a few research studies clearly indicate its usefulness in monitoring and assessment of metal pollution. This study aims to answer whether porewater is really a significant route of metals to macrobenthic organisms in a natural sediment environment. Therefore, seven intertidal locations along the salinity gradient of the Schelde estuary (Belgium-The Netherlands) were investigated during a one year period (1993--1994). Metal analysis was performed on monthly samples of dominant macrobenthic species including the bivalves Macoma balthica, Scrobicularia plana, Cerastodema edule and Mya arenaria, the amphipod Corophium volutator and the polychaete Nereis diversicolor. Metal analysis includes manganese, chromium, nickel, copper, zinc, arsenic, selenium, cadmium and lead. The results show temporal and spatial variation of metals in both macrobenthic organisms and porewater. Levels of some metals in porewater, for example cadmium, lead, and copper are higher in winter months than in summer months in coherence with higher levels found in some benthic species. For some benthic species, metal contents were directly related to metal concentrations in porewater. However, no firm conclusion can be drawn that porewater is the only main source of bioavailable metals to benthic organisms and all metal species in porewater are bioavailable. In order to understand metal bioavailability in the sediment environment, a combination of information from a multidisciplinary approach (geochemistry, benthic ecology and toxicology) is needed. In fact, this study fits within the framework of a Triad-approach, conducted on sediments of the Schelde estuary.

• OSTI ID: 201246
• Report Number(s): CONF-9511137-; ISBN 1-880611-03-1; TRN: IM9613%%223
• Resource Relation: Conference: 2. Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC) world conference, Vancouver (Canada), 5-9 Nov 1995; Other Information: PBD: 1995; Related Information: Is Part Of Second SETAC world congress (16. annual meeting): Abstract book. Global environmental protection: Science, politics, and common sense; PB: 378 p.
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
56 BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE
APPLIED STUDIES
BELGIUM
WATER POLLUTION
NETHERLANDS
ESTUARIES
INTERSTITIAL WATER
MOLLUSCS
SENSITIVITY
CRUSTACEANS
ANNELIDS
METALS
BIOLOGICAL ACCUMULATION
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
SEASONAL VARIATIONS
BIOLOGICAL AVAILABILITY
MANGANESE
CHROMIUM
NICKEL
COPPER
ZINC
ARSENIC
SELENIUM
CADMIUM
LEAD
BENTHOS