Multimetal accumulation in crustaceans in surface water related to body size and water chemistry

Abstract

Many relationships of bioaccumulation of metals have been derived in the past, but verification in the field is often lacking. In the present study, the authors collected field data on bioaccumulation in caged Daphnia magna and Gammarus roeseli in 12 different contaminated brooks. Besides generating a comprehensive data set on bioaccumulation for these species, the authors also checked whether the bioavailability at the biotic ligand is useful to explain differences in observed bioaccumulation. Increasing bioaccumulation of Mn, Cd, Co, and Ni was observed, which leveled off at higher concentrations. Whole-body concentrations of Ca, Na, Mg, K, Fe, Cu, Se, and Zn were independent of exposure concentrations. Univariate and multivariate regressions were performed to examine the relationships between accumulated metals and dissolved metal concentrations (C(w) ), fractional occupancy of the biotic ligand (f(BL) ), species weight, and other undefined species traits. Significant relations between body weight and bioaccumulation were found for Na, Fe, Mn, Cd, Co, and Zn; smaller organisms accumulated larger amounts of these elements. Reduced body weight was accompanied by elevated concentrations of Co, Cu, and Fe in D. magna and elevated concentrations of Mn in G. roeseli, indicating toxicity. Although significant relations were found between bioaccumulation and f(BL) for Mn and Co, C(w) was a better predictor of bioaccumulation.

To what extend the dam dredging can influence the background level of metals in the Rhine River: using chemical and biological long-term monitoring to answer

“…During annual hydrological cycles, the highest variations in metal contents in caged mussels were observed for Cr, Ni and Pb (RSD 40-50%; dredging period excluded). The lowest variations were for Cu and Zn (RSD < 15%), which are essential metals known to be actively regulated by aquatic organisms including bivalves and are required at levels relatively constant to meet the organisms' physiological needs (Bourgeault et al, 2010a;Lebrun et al, 2012;Verschoor et al, 2012;Lebrun et al, 2014).…”

“…Nevertheless, effect of Ca on Cu uptake by aquatic organisms remains poorly documented and anecdotal insofar as Cu is assumed to cross biological membranes through Cu-specific or Na channels (Lebrun et al, 2012). Positive Na effect on Zn and Ni contents in caged mussels can be explained by physiological responses to counteract the effect of low salinity on ionoosmoregulation, as described in amphipods (Marsden and Rainbow, 2004;Verschoor et al, 2012). During the long-term monitoring, statistical analyses confirm that the particulate fraction was the major exposure route for caged mussels in the case of Co, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn (Tab.…”

“…In terms of biological tools, bioaccumulation studies using encaged organisms have gained importance for environmental risk assessment (Bervoets et al, 2005;Besse et al, 2012). Indeed, metal determination in organisms provides an integrative measurement of local metal bioavailability at the transplantation site insofar as the different exposure routes of transplanted organisms and their ability to regulate internalized metals and geochemical effects on metal uptake are taken into account in the bioaccumulation process (Rainbow, 2007;Verschoor et al, 2012;Lebrun et al, 2014).…”

“…Because of its high filtration ability and ease to collect, the zebra mussel Dreissena polymorpha has been often used in European monitoring programs over the last decades to assess metal bioavailability in situ (Bervoets et al, 2005;Bourgeault et al, 2011). Nevertheless, metal bioaccumulation is influenced by various environmental factors such as temperature, physicochemical properties of water and suspended matter, and temporal fluctuations of all environmental parameters (Verschoor et al, 2012;Lebrun et al, 2015). Consequently, reliable interpretation of bioaccumulation data requires the establishment of baselines integrating the natural variability of bioaccumulation on large temporal scales.…”

Essential metal contents in indigenous gammarids related to exposure levels at the river basin scale: Metal-dependent models of bioaccumulation and geochemical correlations

“…To date, field data on bioaccumulation are limited for crustaceans and overall are scarce for continental environments due to their complexity and variability (Besse et al, 2012). Even more, the high variability in chemical composition between freshwaters can hamper the interpretation of bioaccumulation data insofar as parameters such as Na, Mg, Ca and pH are known to affect metal uptake in crustaceans (Komjarova and Blust, 2009;Verschoor et al, 2012). Furthermore, biomonitoring investigations are generally achieved at the scale of a single freshwater body exhibiting a high contamination gradient (Fialkowski and Rainbow, 2006;Khan et al, 2011;Maltby and Crane, 1994).…”