Cadmium accumulation in Moniliformis moniliformis (Acanthocephala) from experimentally infected rats

Abstract

The accumulation of cadmium in Moniliformis moniliformis parasitizing experimentally infected rats that had been orally exposed to cadmium was investigated in this study. Cadmium accumulation in the helminth and in different tissues of the host was determined using electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) after a 3-week period of exposure. The mean cadmium concentration measured in M. moniliformis was 5.8 microg g(-1) wet weight, which was 20, 23, and 119 times higher than that determined in the kidney, liver, and intestine of the host, respectively. Although female worms accumulated higher amounts of cadmium than did males, no tendency emerged between the cadmium concentration and the weight of individual acanthocephalans. This study reveals that cadmium accumulation also occurs in archiacanthocephalans, but to a lesser degree than in palaeacanthocephalans parasitizing fish. Due to its cadmium-accumulation capacity, M. moniliformis might be used as a highly sensitive free-living bioindicator in terrestrial and urban ecosystems.

Cadmium and lead concentrations in Moniliformis moniliformis (Acanthocephala) and Rodentolepis microstoma (Cestoda), and in their definitive hosts, Rattus rattus and Mus domesticus in El Hierro (Canary Archipelago, Spain)

“…A study involving specimens of Macracanthorhynchus hirudinaceus infecting pigs revealed 32-times and 5-times more Cd in the acanthocephalan than in their hosts' liver and kidney, respectively (Sures et al 2000a). Also, the system including M. moniliformis and experimentally infected rats had already been demonstrated as a highly sensitive bioindicator in terrestrial and urban ecosystems (Scheef et al 2000). The same system was evaluated in the present study under natural conditions and bioaccumulation factors with respect to liver and muscle seem to corroborate its usefulness for the evaluation of Cd, although values obtained by Scheef et al (2000) in their experimental study were much more significant.…”

“…Therefore, the available information about systems involving rodents and some of their helminth parasites is scarce. In fact, few experimental (Scheef et al 2000;Sures et al 2000aSures et al , 2002 and field studies (Sures et al 2003;Torres et al 2004Torres et al , 2006 have been performed using cestode and acanthocephalan parasites of rodents. This general lack of information motivates the need for further studies on organisms or models that may reflect small-scale differences in heavy metal pollution in terrestrial ecosystems.…”

Cadmium and lead concentrations in Gallegoides arfaai (Cestoda: Anoplocephalidae) and Apodemus sylvaticus (Rodentia: Muridae) from Spain

“…The scarce information available on terrestrial habitats contributes to the increasing need for further studies on sentinel organisms reflecting small-scale differences in heavy metal pollution in terrestrial ecosystems. In this context, two acanthocephalans, Macracanthorhynchus hirudinaceus from naturally infected pigs in Bolivia (Sures et al 2000a) and Moniliformis moniliformis parasitizing rats in experimental conditions (Scheef et al 2000;Sures et al 2000b), were shown to be important accumulation indicators of some heavy metals (cadmium and lead). Nevertheless, neither acanthocephalan should be considered a good sentinel due to the restricted range of the definitive hosts of M. hirudinaceus and because of the low abundance of M. moniliformis in naturally infected rats.…”

Evaluation of Trace Elements in Prochilodus lineatus (Valenciennes, 1837) (Characiformes, Prochilodontidae) from the Mogi Guaçu River Infected for Acanthocephala Neoechynorhyncus Curemai Noronha, 1973 (Acanthocephala)

“…This type of approach is very common in countries such as Germany and Austria, where Scheef et al [4,5] concluded that fish parasites are excellent environmental bioindicators due to their ability to accumulate larger amounts of trace elements. A proposal in this sense is necessary in order to understand the dynamics of the parasitofauna and to evaluate the quality of the aquatic ecosystem through the intestinal parasites.…”