Effects of cadmium-enriched sediment on fish and amphibian embryo-larval stages

Abstract

Aquatic toxicity tests were conducted to evaluate the effects of cadmium-enriched sediment on embryo-larval stages of the goldfish ( Carassius auratus), leopard frog ( Rana pipiens), and largemouth bass ( Micropterus salmoides). Natural stream sediment was collected and enriched with cadmium to nominal concentrations of 1.0, 10.0, 100, and 1000 mg/kg. Enriched sediments were placed in Pyrex dishes and covered with 350 ml of reconstituted water. Fertilized eggs were placed in the dishes and maintained through 4 days posthatching, giving a total exposure time of 6 to 7 days. For all tests the cadmium concentrations ranged from 1.1 to 76.5 μg/liter in water above sediments containing 1 to 1000 mg Cd/kg, respectively. Although low frequencies of mortality were observed in all tests, goldfish, leopard frog, and bass exposed to sediments enriched to 1000 mg Cd/kg accumulated 4.61, 12.55, and 60.0 μg Cd/g, respectively. No significant correlations ( P < 0.05) were found between mortality of the goldfish and leopard frog and the cadmium concentrations in either water or sediment. However, all three species showed strong correlations ( r ⩾ 0.98) between cadmium concentrations in water and tissue, sediment and tissue, and water and sediment. Tissue cadmium concentrations were related to the length of time test organisms were in direct contact with cadmium-enriched sediment.