Toxicity of triphenyltin and tributyltin to the freshwater mud snail Potamopyrgus antipodarum in a new sediment biotest

Abstract

The effects of two suspected endocrine-disrupting chemicals, the xeno-androgens triphenyltin (TPT) and tributyltin (TBT), were investigated in a new whole-sediment biotest with the freshwater mudsnail Potamopyrgus antipodarum (Gastropoda, Prosobranchia). Artificial sediments were spiked with seven concentrations, ranging from 10 to 500 microg nominal TPT-Sn/kg dry weight and TBT-Sn/kg dry weight, respectively. We analyzed the responses of the test species after two, four, and eight weeks exposure. For both compounds, P. antipodarum exhibited a sharp decline in the number of embryos sheltered in its brood pouch in a time- and concentration-dependent manner in comparison to the control sediment. The number of new, still unshelled embryos turned out to be the most sensitive parameter. The lowest-observed-effect concentration (LOEC) was equivalent to the lowest administered concentration (10 microg/kg of each test compound) for most parameters and thus no no-observed-effect concentration (NOEC) could be established. The calculation of effect concentrations (EC10) resulted in even lower values for both substances (EC10 after eight weeks for unshelled embryos: 0.03 microg TPT-Sn/kg, EC10 after four weeks for unshelled embryos: 0.98 microg TBT-Sn/kg). Our results indicate that P. antipodarum is highly sensitive to both endocrine disruptors TPT and TBT at environmentally relevant concentrations.

Tolerance assessment of the aquatic invasive snail Potamopyrgus antipodarum to different post-dispersive conditions: implications for its invasive success

“…However, under natural conditions, the survival of the NZMS to air exposure can be increased if the snail is carried in a moist substrate (Alonso et al 2016). In fact, Potamopyrgus antipodarum is known as mudsnail because during dry periods it buries itself into the sediment (Duft et al 2003).…”

Tolerance to air exposure of the New Zealand mudsnail Potamopyrgus antipodarum (Hydrobiidae, Mollusca) as a prerequisite to survival in overland translocations

“…This snail is called mudsnail since it buries itself in the sediment during drought or cold periods (Duft et al 2003a). This mollusc has a solid and well-formed operculum, a small narrow shell (length 1-10 mm), and it possesses a strong mobile and retractile foot (Winterbourn 1970, Kabat and Hershler 1993, Duft et al 2003a.…”

“…This snail is called mudsnail since it buries itself in the sediment during drought or cold periods (Duft et al 2003a). This mollusc has a solid and well-formed operculum, a small narrow shell (length 1-10 mm), and it possesses a strong mobile and retractile foot (Winterbourn 1970, Kabat and Hershler 1993, Duft et al 2003a. Non-native populations are parthenogenetic with almost all individuals being females, which allows a rapid colonization of the invaded ecosystems (Alonso and Castro-Díez 2008).…”

Response of the mollusc communities to environmental factors along an anthropogenic salinity gradient

“…The recorded density of P. antipodarum in this survey was relatively high compared to the studies mentioned above and reached up to 12 150 individuals m −2 . Even a single snail that is introduced into a new habitat can start a population in a short period of time in various types of aquatic ecosystems-from freshwater to saltwater and from lotic to lentic ecosystems (Wallace 1985;Ponder 1988;Økland 1990;Gangloff 1998;Jensen et al 2001;Duft et al 2003;Lewin 2012). To date, the majority of studies on the impact of water salinity on the New Zealand mud snail have been focused on its tolerance (Hoy et al 2012), growth rate (Herbst et al 2008) and the effects of water salinity on its fecundity under field conditions (Gérard et al 2003;McKenzie et al 2013) or in laboratory experiments (Jacobsen and Forbes 1997;Drown et al 2011;Vazquez et al 2016).…”