Influence of salinity on the bioaccumulation and photoinduced toxicity of fluoranthene to an estuarine shrimp and oligochaete

Abstract

The effect of salinity on the photoinduced toxicity of waterborne fluoranthene to larvae of the grass shrimp (Palaemonetes pugio) and tubificid oligochaete worms (Monopylephorus rubroniveus) was studied in a laboratory system under simulated sunlight. In the grass shrimp toxicity tests, five concentrations of fluoranthene (0, 3.6, 7.3, 13.8, and 29.0 microg/L) and four salinities (6.9, 14.5, 21.2, and 28.6 per thousand) were achieved. In the oligochaete toxicity tests, five concentrations of fluoranthene (0, 0.8, 1.4, 3.3, and 7.7 microg/L) and four salinities (7.1, 13.3, 20.5, and 27.6 per thousand) were achieved. Salinity had no effect on either the photoinduced toxicity or the bioaccumulation of fluoranthene in the grass shrimp. However, the highest level of salinity decreased the median lethal time for the oligochaete. Bioaccumulation of fluoranthene was inversely related to salinity for the oligochaete. Additional experiments demonstrated an inverse relationship between salinity and short-term osmotic weight change in the oligochaete. Weight of the grass shrimp larvae was not affected by salinity. These findings show that salinity can influence the toxicity and bioaccumulation of fluoranthene in some estuarine organisms. The influence of salinity on these populations may be related to physiological responses associated with internal osmotic volume changes. Thus, salinity needs to be taken into account when assessing the risk of photoactivated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) to at least some estuarine species.

Screening-level ecological and human health risk assessment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in stormwater detention pond sediments of Coastal South Carolina, USA

“…Another limitation inherent in the use of both the consensus-based SQG and ESB approaches are that neither accounts for that fraction of PAH toxicity contributed by photoactivation processes [27,42]. Several studies have documented enhanced PAH toxicity in a variety of benthic and epibenthic organisms following exposure to UV radiation [43][44][45][46]. Thus, the toxicological effects of PAHs in these ponds, especially in shallow regions, may be greater than that predicted by either of these approaches [27].…”

Dietary transfer of fluoranthene from an estuarine oligochaete (Monopylephorus rubroniveus) to grass shrimp (Palaemonetes pugio): Influence of piperonyl butoxide

“…Despite the faster rate of depuration, PBO-exposed grass shrimp had significantly higher levels of fluoranthene in their tissues at the end of the 3-day depuration period relative to control shrimp, whose fluoranthene tissue residues were similar to background levels. The continued presence of fluoranthene in the PBO-exposed grass shrimp could have profound physiological implications for dose-and time-dependent responses, such as DNA strand breaks (Lee et al, 2004) and UV-enhanced photosensitization reactions (Weinstein, 2003). Also, the continued presence of fluoranthene in the grass shrimp tissues increases the likelihood that fluoranthene could be transferred to higher trophic levels through the diet.…”

Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill as a Case Study for Interdisciplinary Cooperation within Developmental Biology, Environmental Sciences and Physiology

“…For example, UVR exposure can be mediated not only by an organism's position in the water column but also by water column characteristics such as suspended solids and dissolved organic carbon [58] [59]. It has been postulated that salinity affects sensitivity to photo-induced toxicity due to species differences in osmoregulatory strategy [60]. Oxygen diffusion distance in the gills increases likely due to edema and swelling following an exposure to PAH and UVR [52].…”