Metal Concentrations In Invertebrates Research Articles

Trace elements in invertebrates and fish from Kerguelen waters, southern Indian Ocean

Given the lack of background data on essential and non-essential trace elements in invertebrates and fish known to be the predominant prey of marine mammals and seabirds breeding at the Kerguelen Islands, this study intends to provide these results of great influence for predators in higher trophic levels. To this end, plankton organisms (9 species/4 phyla), mollusks (2 bivalves and 2 squid species) and fishes (8 benthic and 10 pelagic species) from Kerguelen waters were analysed for cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), mercury (Hg), and zinc (Zn). Individual concentrations of non-essential elements (particularly Cd) showed larger variation in comparison with essential ones due to homeostasis. Cd ranged over 4 orders of magnitude; however, Hg ranged only 1, without significant correlation to trophic level. Instead, ecological parameters (benthic/mesopelagic habitat and feeding ecology) showed a more important influence on the results. Concerning seashore organisms, bivalves collected inside the Gulf of Morbihan had higher Cd concentrations compared to those from the Kerguelen shelf, suggesting a local source of Cd, such as runoff water from bird colonies. Comparison with literature showed metal concentrations in invertebrates and fishes from Kerguelen Islands somewhat lower than in the Antarctic area, with Hg prevailing in benthic species and Cd in pelagic ones. In contrast to Hg, Cd values of squids, jellyfish and the amphipod Themisto gaudichaudii were significantly higher than all other species. Finally, top predators foraging in this area that can be subject to potentially high Hg and Cd exposure through their diet at Kerguelen are reviewed.

Metal (Fe, Zn, Cu, Pb and Cd) concentration patterns in components of a macrophyte-based coastal lagoon ecosystem

Information on the metal biological fate in macrophyte-based coastal lagoons is provided; this information can contribute to the assessment of the environmental effects of metal pollution and to the development of predictive models for rational management of coastal lagoons. Iron, Zn, Cu, Pb and Cd concentrations in the dominant invertebrate and fish species of Monolimni Lagoon, Mediterranean Sea, as well as in potential major sources for metal accumulation in these animals (water, sediments, angiosperms, seaweeds), were measured. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was conducted using metal concentrations in invertebrates and fishes. All five metal concentrations loaded significantly on the first PCA axis; however, Zn and Cu loadings were less significant than Cd and even less than Fe and Pb ones. The samples of deposit-feeding invertebrates were separated from those of the rest of the organisms (browsing, herbivorous and carnivorous invertebrates, carnivorous gobies and muscle tissues of detritivorous mullets) along the first PCA axis. Deposit-feeding invertebrates displayed the highest Fe and Pb contents, and in general, the highest or comparatively high Cd, Zn and Cu ones. Carnivorous gobies showed comparatively high Zn contents and carnivorous shrimps the highest Cu ones, while muscle tissues of detritivorous mullets had low metal loads. In addition, there was no essential increase in metal concentrations corresponding to the increasing trophic level (autotrophs, to herbivores, to carnivores). Our findings suggest that (a) the variability in Fe, Pb and Cd contents in invertebrates and gobies depends at least to some extent on interspecific differences in feeding habits—deposit feeders accumulated the highest metal amounts probably due to high rates of uptake from sediments, (b) the variability in Zn and Cu concentrations in these organisms depends also on other interspecific differences apart from those in feeding habits, (c) metal accumulation in mullet muscle tissues does not depend markedly on feeding habits and (d) the trophic transfer of macrophyte-bound metals to the coastal lagoon food web is of relatively minor importance.

Metallothionein-like Protein and Tissue Metal Concentrations in Invertebrates (Oligochaetes and Chironomids) Collected from Reference and Metal Contaminated Field Sediments

The relationships between metallothionein-like protein (MTLP) and tissue metal (Ni, Cd, Cu, Zn, Pb) concentrations were examined in Oligochaetes and Chironomid larvae collected from reference and metal contaminated sediments. Tissue metal concentrations, for example, Cd reaching 0.3 μmol/g in oligochaetes and Cu, reaching 0.8 μmol/g in chironomids collected from Great Lakes reference sites (Environment Canada) indicated the presence of bioavailable metal at some sites. The concentration of MTLP ranged from 3.3 (± 1.0) to 11.5 (± 4.5) nmol MTLP/g in oligochaetes, and 2.7 (± 1.0) to 8.0 (± 2.7) nmol MTLP/g in chironomids. Individually, tissue metal concentrations were relatively poor (r 2 = 0.002–0.52) predictors of MTLP, but when multiple metals were used the relationship became stronger (oligochaetes r 2 = 0.84, p < 0.001; chironomids r 2 = 0.61, p < 0.001), suggesting that MTLP was induced by multiple metals. Tissue metal and MTLP concentrations in invertebrates from the metal contaminated slips of Collingwood Harbour were not elevated above reference levels, indicating that only a fraction of the metal in the sediment is bioavailable. Chironomids collected from lakes contaminated by atmospheric fallout of smelting emissions (Rouyn-Noranda, QC) had elevated tissue metal concentrations but MTLP concentration did not consistently reflect elevated tissue metal. Overall, MTLP concentrations in invertebrates collected from metal-contaminated sites were not significantly higher than concentrations in reference site-collected invertebrates. The data presented here suggest that, at some sites, MTLP concentration in field-collected organisms would be a useful surrogate for tissue metal but, because of a lack of detailed taxonomy (organisms were designated as chironomids or oligochaetes) and the relatively small sample sizes of this study, no definitive conclusion regarding the suitability of MTLP concentration as a field-based biomarker of metal exposure can be made without further study

Metal concentrations in soil and invertebrates in the vicinity of a metallurgical factory near Tula (Russia)

Summary To investigate the effects of emissions from a large metal works near Tula in the Russian Federation, we measured concentrations of iron, manganese, zinc, copper, nickel, lead and cadmium in soil, litter and invertebrates at four sampling sites at different distances from the factory. The sites were located in woodlands in the bed of the Voronka river, near the town of Kosaya Gora in the district of Tula. Additional soil properties (organic matter content, clay content, water holding capacity, Ca, Mg, N, P, and pH) were measured that could explain differences in the bioavailability of the metal burdens. It appeared that the factory is a source of Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, Ni and Pb. One of the sampling sites had a high nitrogen content in the litter due to emissions from a fertilizer plant in the area. Most of the metal contamination was limited to the immediate surroundings and did not extend beyond a distance of 5 km. Only the site close to the factory can be considered as polluted, however, background concentrations of metals in the Tula area seem to be significantly lower than in present Western European soils and a reference system still has to be developed. Exchangeable metal concentrations (0.01 M CaCl 2 extracts from soil) were very low and were not correlated with the total concentrations, indicating low bioavailability of the pollution. At the most polluted site, concentrations of all metals were positively correlated with each other; correlations decreased with increasing distance. Metal concentrations in soil were often negatively correlated with organic matter content, especially so for nickel. Metal concentrations in invertebrates showed considerable variation between individual species, however, some general patterns were obvious. Concentrations were high in earthworms, oribatid mites and carabid beetles, and low in springtails, centipedes and spiders. There was no relationship between the trophic position of a species and its metal accumulating ability. Iron concentrations in invertebrates at the polluted site were a factor of 2 to 4 higher than at the most remote (reference) site; for zinc and copper the internal concentrations were also elevated, but to a lesser extent than the soil concentrations. The data illustrate the extremely complicated relationship between metal residues in invertebrates and metal concentrations in soil. For most of the saprophageous and predatory arthropods studied total concentrations nor exchangeable concentrations in soil are good predictors; species-specific feeding mechanisms and metal physiologies seem to be the main determinants.

Aluminium and iron burdens of aquatic biota in New Zealand streams contaminated by acid mine drainage: effects of trophic level

Concentrations of Al and Fe were determined in samples of filamentous algae, bryophytes and invertebrates from 24 stream sites in North Westland, South Island, New Zealand. Sites were variably contaminated by acid coal mine drainage and ranged in pH from 2.6 to 6.2. Conductivity of stream water ranged from 16 to 944 μS 25 cm −1 and maximum concentrations of total dissolved Al and total Fe measured in two successive years were 35.5 and 32.6 mg l −1, respectively. Metal burdens of algae and bryophytes were not correlated with pH, conductivity or the concentrations of Al and Fe observed in stream water. Metal concentrations in invertebrates were significantly lower than those in plants (mg per g dry wt.), and were similar in herbivore–detritivores (mainly mayfly larvae) and carnivorous species. No evidence was found for the biomagnification of either metal within aquatic food webs. However, invertebrate species exposed to very high concentrations of Al and Fe varied considerably in body burdens, suggesting that groups of insects differ considerably in their physiological or morphological ability to exclude potentially toxic metals.

Benthic invertebrate metals exposure, accumulation, and community‐level effects downstream from a hard‐rock mine site

AbstractThis study quantitatively evaluated the relationships among As, Co, and Cu concentrations in exposure media (surface water, sediment, and aufwuchs), As, Co, and Cu concentrations in aquatic macroinvertebrates, and invertebrate community structure in a mine‐affected stream. Concentrations of As, Co, and Cu were significantly elevated in both exposure media and invertebrate tissue downstream from the mine. Copper in invertebrates was significantly correlated only with Cu in aufwuchs, and Co in invertebrates was significantly correlated only with dissolved Co in water, suggesting different mechanisms of invertebrate accumulation for these two metals. The invertebrate community was severely affected downstream from the mine, with a loss of metalssensitive species and reductions in both total biomass and number of species. Total abundance was not affected. Principal components analysis was performed on the invertebrate community data to develop a simplified description of community response to mine inputs. Based on this index, metal concentrations in invertebrates were poor predictors of community structure. Copper concentrations in water, combined with an estimate of invertebrate drift from clean tributaries, were statistically significant predictors of community structure.

Metal accumulation in sediments and benthic invertebrates in lakes of Latvia

The concentrations of cadmium, lead, nickel and copper in waters, sediments (total metal concentrations and their speciation forms) and benthic macroinvertebrates in 11 lakes of Latvia were determined using atomic absorption spectroscopy. Metal concentrations in lake waters, sediments and biota were compared with water chemistry. Compared to total concentrations, metal speciation forms in sediments were better correlated with respective metal concentrations in invertebrates. Therefore, the evaluation of potential metal bioaccumulation should consider metal speciation. The mean concentrations of trace metals in benthic invertebrates in Latvia were much lower than in other countries, which can be explained by comparatively lower anthropogenic loads. However, local areas of anthropogenic impacts were evident.