Accumulation of Co by several species of marine bivalves.

Abstract

To clarify the effect of chemical form on the accumulation of Co by organisms, a rearing experiment was performed, using 60 Co (CoCl2) as an inorganic compound and 57 Co cyanocobalamin as an organic one. The concentration factor of inorganin 60 Co for Gomphina melanaegis was calculated to be 360 and that of organic 57 Co was 650. The effect of the difference of chemical form was not large in the accumulation of Co by bivalves. The excretion curveof 60 Co consisted of one component, while that of 57 Co by bivalves. The effective half of 60 Co was 31 days and that fo the longer component of 57 Co in the body of G. melanegis was 98 days. A remarkably different distribution of Co was observed in the gills, liver, and kidney, suggesting different metabolism processes dus to the chemical forms in the organs of the bivalves. On the gel filtration profile of Co in the liver of G. melanaegis, inorganic 60 Co was incorporated in two constituents and organic 57 Co was in one compounent. Four species of bivalves G. melanaegis, Tridacna crocea, Spisula sachalinensis and Patinopecten yessoensis showed two peaks of 60 Co in the gel filtration profiles of their livers, while Anadara broughtonii and japonica showed three peaks.