Freshwater molluscs as indicators of bioavailability and toxicity of metals in surface-water systems

Journal Article · Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1991 · Reviews of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4612-3198-1_2· OSTI ID:5865906

Elder, J F; Collins, J J ^[1]

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1. U.S. Geological Survey, Madison, WI (United States)

Freshwater molluscs--snails and bivalves--have been used frequently as bioindicator organisms. With increasing needs for research on contaminant effects in freshwater ecosystems, this kind of biomonitoring is likely to develop further in the future. Molluscs can be used effectively for studies of both organic and inorganic contaminants; this review focuses on studies involving bioaccumulation and toxicity of metals. Two important advantages of snails and bivalves over most other freshwater organisms for biomonitoring research are their large size and limited mobility. In addition, they are abundant in many types of freshwater environments and are relatively easy to collect and identify. At metal concentrations that are within ranges common to natural waters, they are generally effective bioaccumulators of metals. Biomonitoring studies with freshwater molluscs have covered a wide diversity of species, metals, and environments. The principal generalization that can be drawn from this research is that bioaccumulation and toxicity are extremely situation dependent; hence, it is difficult to extrapolate results from any particular study to other situations where the biological species or environmental conditions are different. Even within one species, individual characteristics such as size, life stage, sex, and genotype can have significant effects on responses to contaminants. The bioavailability of the metal is highly variable and depends on pH, presence of organic ligands, water hardness, and numerous other controlling factors. Despite this variability, past studies provide some general principles that can facilitate planning of research with freshwater snails and bivalves as metal bioindicators. These principles may also be useful in understanding and managing freshwater ecosystems.

• OSTI ID: 5865906
• Journal Information: Reviews of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology; (United States), Vol. 122; ISSN 0179-5953
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
METALS
TOXICITY
MOLLUSCS
SENSITIVITY
WATER POLLUTION
BIOLOGICAL INDICATORS
BIOLOGICAL ACCUMULATION
BIOLOGICAL AVAILABILITY
FRESH WATER
ANIMALS
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
ELEMENTS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
INVERTEBRATES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION
WATER
540320* - Environment
Aquatic- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (1990-)
560300 - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology