Consumption Of Snails Research Articles

A Scoping Review of Angiostrongyliasis and Other Diseases Associated with Terrestrial Mollusks, Including Lissachatina fulica: An Overview of Case Reports and Series.

Terrestrial mollusks, including the invasive giant African snail (Lissachatina fulica), pose significant public health risks due to their role as carriers of various pathogens, such as Angiostrongylus cantonensis and Angiostrongylus costaricensis. This scoping review aims to provide a comprehensive evaluation of diseases associated with Lissachatina fulica and other terrestrial mollusks, with a particular focus on the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of these conditions. Following the Joanna Briggs Institute guidelines and the PRISMA-ScR framework, we conducted a systematic search and filtered results, identifying 27 relevant case reports and series for analysis. Our findings reveal that ingesting raw or undercooked snails is the most hazardous exposure route, with a 75% mortality rate in affected adults, particularly in regions where snail consumption is culturally significant, such as France. A. cantonensis is the primary cause of eosinophilic meningitis, while A. costaricensis leads to abdominal angiostrongyliasis. The review also highlights the widespread impact of L. fulica in countries like France, the United States, Brazil, and Colombia, emphasizing the global nature of the threat. Children show consistent vulnerability across all exposure types, underscoring the need for targeted preventive strategies. This review underscores the urgent need for public health interventions, particularly educational campaigns to inform communities about the dangers of L. fulica. Additionally, it highlights the importance of enhancing diagnostic methods and expanding surveillance to better manage the risks associated with these invasive snails. The findings provide valuable insights for the scientific community and recommend a multidisciplinary approach to effectively mitigate the public health risks posed by L. fulica across diverse regions.

Organochlorine pesticides and polybrominated diphenyl ethers in giant African snail from the Niger Delta, Nigeria: Implications for dietary exposure and health risk assessment

The concentrations of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) were evaluated in snails from different locations in the Niger Delta of Nigeria to provide data about their sources and possible risk to humans from the consumption of snails. The OCP and PBDE concentrations in snail samples ranged from 0.31 to 12.2 ng g-1 and 0.21 to 10.9 ng g-1, respectively. The distribution patterns indicated the dominance of chlordanes and penta-BDEs for OCPs and PBDEs, respectively. The hazard index and total cancer risk values for human exposure to OCPs and PBDEs through consumption of these snails were less than 1 and 10-6 (acceptable risk value), respectively, indicating unlikely adverse health effects. The isomer ratios of OCPs in these snails reflected both historical and recent contamination, while the distribution patterns of PBDEs in these snails indicated sources linked to the use of the penta-BDE and octa-BDE formulations rather than the deca-BDE mixture in this region.

Molluscophagy in North East India: Assessment of Nutritive Value of Four Edible Freshwater Molluscs

ABSTRACT Since time immemorial, molluscs have been a popular source of food in North East India. Given the historical importance of snail consumption in the region, the current investigation was carried out to assess the nutritional properties of mollusc meat/tissue and shell. Three species of freshwater snails (Cipangopaludina sp. Brotia costula, Filopaludina bengalensis) and the bivalve Lamellidens sp. were identified from five states of North East India. Proximate and elemental analyses of mollusc meat revealed high amounts of nutrients (more crude protein (range 26.75–22.83%) and low fat (3.82–2.70%)) and minerals (especially calcium). Additionally, high levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids were observed (maximum 1.95% in B. costula).

Bioaccumulation of trace metals in edible terrestrial snails, Theba pisana and Otala spp., in a dumpsite area in Morocco and assessment of human health risks for consumers.

This study assessed the bioaccumulation patterns of five trace metals (Cd, Cr, Co, Cu, and Zn) in two edible snail species, Theba pisana and Otala spp., collected from a dumpsite in Safi City, Morocco. The results indicated that bioaccumulation might be species-specific, as metal concentration profiles varied between the two snail species. Additionally, higher metal levels in the dumpsite snails confirmed their potential as bioindicators of trace metal pollution in terrestrial environments. However, the distribution of trace elements within the edible parts of the snails showed marked unevenness, with the viscera accumulating more metals than the foot. The study also evaluated the potential human health risks associated with consuming these snails. Trace metal levels in the edible parts exceeded most international safety thresholds. The estimated daily intakes (EDIs) of trace metals through snail consumption were below the provisional tolerable daily intakes (PTDIs) for both children and adults, suggesting that daily consumption is generally safe. Nonetheless, the hazard index (HI) indicated that children might face health risks from long-term consumption of contaminated snails (HI > 1), while adults are less likely to experience such complications (HI < 1). The total target carcinogenic risk (TTCR) was below 1E-04 for both children and adults, indicating negligible to acceptable carcinogenic risks for all consumer groups.

Preliminary investigation of microplastic contamination in river snails (Filopaludina martensi) in Eastern Thailand and evaluation of human exposure

Microplastic contamination in the aquatic environment is a growing environmental issue with implications for food safety concerns. This study investigated microplastics in river snails (Filopaludina martensi) obtained from local markets in the eastern province of Thailand. The study analyzed the abundance, shape, size, color, and polymer type of microplastics extracted from river snail tissue and estimated human intake of microplastics through river snail consumption. The results revealed that the average microplastic abundance was 88.63 ± 51.18 particles/g wet weight. The predominant microplastics were fibers and fragments smaller than 1.0 mm, with colors ranging from transparent-white. Polymer analysis indicated that river snails primarily contained polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), and polystyrene (PS). Microplastics’ estimated annual intake (EAI) was significantly higher than the average in other countries. This suggests that humans may ingest microplastics through food consumption due to the biomagnification of microplastic accumulation in the food chain. Given this elevated level of human exposure to microplastics, there is an urgent need to develop policies to regulate the use, management, and disposal of plastic waste in Thailand.

Effects of ocean acidification and warming on physiological and behavioural responses of an herbivore snail to waterborne predator cues

Ocean Acidification (OA) and Ocean Warming (OW) represent major climate stressors that may disrupt species interactions. However, despite the knowledge about the impacts of OA and OW on the performance of individual species, it is still unclear how biological interactions can be modified by the combined effects of these stressors. Consequently, in this study, we assess the effects of changes in temperature (12 °C and 20 °C) and pCO2 (500 and 1600 μatm) levels in seawater, along with the presence/absence of waterborne cues from the predator crab Homalaspis plana on the physiological and behavioural performance of the snail Tegula atra. Snail consumption rate was positively affected by OW and negatively by predator cues whereas absorption efficiency (AE) was positively affected by OW without interactions among these stressors. Oxygen uptake of snails reared in OW conditions was greater than those in control conditions, but only at control pCO2 levels. When pCO2 level was also raised, the positive effect of warmer temperature on oxygen uptake was reduced. While biomass was negatively affected by OW, OA and predator cues, without interactions. In the presence of predator cues the self-righting times of snails were significantly slower in individuals reared at OW conditions. Additionally, OA and OW conditions do not affect the prey hunting, efficiency (consumption) and preference, and claw strength of the predatory crab. These results indicate that OA and OW affect physiological and behavioral traits of snails but no the predatory behavior of crab. This environmentally-induced decoupling of co-evolutionary predator-prey dynamics may have important consequences on the structure and stability of coastal communities and ecosystems under the influence of climate change.

Mixed effects and co-transfer of CeO2 NPs and arsenic in the pakchoi-snail food chain

Nanomaterial application in agriculture offers novel solutions for soil arsenic (As) pollution control, yet safety along the food chain is of concern. We comprehensively assessed CeO2 nanoparticles (NPs) foliar application effects on As uptake by pakchoi and their presence in the pakchoi-snail food chain. CeO2 NPs reduced As transfer from pakchoi roots to shoots by 37.9%, lowered As in snail foot by 39%, and halved human As exposure risk. The NPs alleviated pakchoi shoot As toxicity by regulating antioxidants, enhancing water use efficiency, and photosynthesis. CeO2 +As treatment raised GSH/GSSG ratios by 38.92%− 167.54%, leading to an increased AsIII/AsV ratio and inorganic As detoxification compared to As alone. Metabolomics revealed CeO2's rapid As response via phosphatidylinositol signaling. The enzyme-like activity of CeO2 NPs may drive these effects. While CeO2 foliar application accumulated Ce on pakchoi leaves, > 99% of Ce was excreted following snail consumption. Ce transfer from pakchoi leaves to snail foot was minimal (trophic transfer factor ∼0.00007) due to limited bioavailability. The target hazard quotient of Ce in pakchoi shoot (1.21 ± 0.18) and snails (0.0016 ± 0.0004) indicated low exposure risk, suggesting a ‘risk filter’ effect for CeO2. Our results contribute to the safe and sustainable application of CeO2 NPs in the future implication.

Temperature affects predation of schistosome-competent snails by a novel invader, the marbled crayfish Procambarus virginalis.

The human burden of environmentally transmitted infectious diseases can depend strongly on ecological factors, including the presence or absence of natural enemies. The marbled crayfish (Procambarus virginalis) is a novel invasive species that can tolerate a wide range of ecological conditions and colonize diverse habitats. Marbled crayfish first appeared in Madagascar in 2005 and quickly spread across the country, overlapping with the distribution of freshwater snails that serve as the intermediate host of schistosomiasis-a parasitic disease of poverty with human prevalence ranging up to 94% in Madagascar. It has been hypothesized that the marbled crayfish may serve as a predator of schistosome-competent snails in areas where native predators cannot and yet no systematic study to date has been conducted to estimate its predation rate on snails. Here, we experimentally assessed marbled crayfish consumption of uninfected and infected schistosome-competent snails (Biomphalaria glabrata and Bulinus truncatus) across a range of temperatures, reflective of the habitat range of the marbled crayfish in Madagascar. We found that the relationship between crayfish consumption and temperature is unimodal with a peak at ~27.5°C. Per-capita consumption increased with body size and was not affected either by snail species or their infectious status. We detected a possible satiation effect, i.e., a small but significant reduction in per-capita consumption rate over the 72-hour duration of the predation experiment. Our results suggest that ecological parameters, such as temperature and crayfish weight, influence rates of consumption and, in turn, the potential impact of the marbled crayfish invasion on snail host populations.

DAMPAK PENAMBANGAN EMAS ILEGAL DI KABUPATEN BURU TERHADAP KONSENTRASI MERKURI (Hg) PADA KEPITING BAKAU (Scylla serrata) DAN KEONG BAKAU (Telescopium telescopium)

Background: Illegal gold mining in Buru Regency uses the heavy metal mercury toprocess gold material, so it can pollute the environment, including aquatic biota such asmangrove crabs (Scylla serrata) and mangrove snails (Telescopium telescopium). The aimof this research is to analyze the amount of mercury concentration and the level of pollutionin mangrove crabs and snails as a result of illegal gold mining in Buru Regency.Methods: Research samples were taken at the Waelata River Estuary and the AnahoniRiver Estuary. For mercury analysis, 8 mangrove crabs and 16 mangrove snails weretaken. Analysis of mercury concentration using the AAS Cold Vapor method.Results: The results showed that the heavy metal mercury was detected in mangrovecrabs and mangrove snails. The concentration of mercury detected is still below the qualitystandard set based on heavy metal contamination (SNI) No. 7387 of 2009, specifically forthe heavy metal Hg in shellfish (bilvalves), mollusks and sea cucumbers, shrimp and othercrustaceans at 1.0 mg/kg (ppm).Conclusion: Illegal gold mining in Buru Regency has an impact on mercury concentrationsin mangrove crabs and mangrove snails, but the value is still below the specified qualitystandards. However, consumption of mangrove crabs and mangrove snails that live aroundgold mining areas in Buru Regency must be limited, considering the nature of mercuryaccumulation.

Analysis of cadmium heavy metal content in rice snail (Pila ampullacea) from Rawa Taliwang Lake

Snails are one of the aquatic organisms that can be used as biological indicators of heavy metals in water. This study aims to determine the amount of cadmium heavy metal content in rice snails (Pila ampullacea) from Rawa Taliwang Lake, which can be used to enrich lecture material on environmental knowledge and to determine the feasibility of consumption of rice snails (Pila ampullacea) in accordance with the threshold of heavy metal contamination in food. The research was conducted over ten months, from August 2022-June 2023, at Rawa Taliwang Lake. Data were collected using the purposive sampling method at two research stations, namely the East and West sides. The samples in this study were four rice snails caught using a net. The samples were then deconstructed and analyzed using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry (AAS). The rice snail body parts studied were the flesh cleaned and separated from the shell and internal organs. The analysis showed that the average cadmium (Cd) heavy metal content in the flesh of rice snails (Pila ampullacea) from Rawa Taliwang Lake was 0.19 mg/kg, which means that it is suitable for consumption because it is below the maximum threshold of cadmium (Cd) contamination allowed in gastropods which are 0.30 mg/kg according to the Food and Drug Administration Regulation No. 9 of 2022.

Trophic transfer of silver nanoparticles shifts metabolism in snails and reduces food safety

Food security and sustainable development of agriculture has been a key challenge for decades. To support this, nanotechnology in the agricultural sectors increases productivity and food security, while leaving complex environmental negative impacts including pollution of the human food chains by nanoparticles. Here we model the effects of silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) in a food chain consisting of soil-grown lettuce Lactuca sativa and snail Achatina fulica. Soil-grown lettuce were exposed to sulfurized Ag-NPs via root or metallic Ag-NPs via leaves before fed to snails. We discover an important biomagnification of silver in snails sourced from plant root uptake, with trophic transfer factors of 2.0–5.9 in soft tissues. NPs shifts from original size (55–68 nm) toward much smaller size (17–26 nm) in snails. Trophic transfer of Ag-NPs reprograms the global metabolic profile by down-regulating or up-regulating metabolites for up to 0.25- or 4.20- fold, respectively, relative to the control. These metabolites control osmoregulation, phospholipid, energy, and amino acid metabolism in snails, reflecting molecular pathways of biomagnification and pontential adverse biological effects on lower trophic levels. Consumption of these Ag-NP contaminated snails causes non-carcinogenic effects on human health. Global public health risks decrease by 72% under foliar Ag-NP application in agriculture or through a reduction in the consumption of snails sourced from root application. The latter strategy is at the expense of domestic economic losses in food security of $177.3 and $58.3 million annually for countries such as Nigeria and Cameroon. Foliar Ag-NP application in nano-agriculture has lower hazard quotient risks on public health than root application to ensure global food safety, as brought forward by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Trophic transfer of heavy metals in a wetland food web from an abandoned e-waste recycling site in South China

In order to understand the pollution status and trophic transfer of heavy metals across wetland food web organisms, four invertebrate species, six fish species, one snake species, and one bird species were collected from an abandoned e-waste site in South China for analysis of toxic elements (Ni, Zn, Cu, Cr, Cd, and Pb). The concentrations of Ni, Zn, Cu, Cr, Cd, and Pb were 0.16–15.6, 24.9–850, 1.49–645, 0.11–64.6, 0.01–4.53 and 0.41–40.4 mg/kg dry weight, respectively. The results demonstrated that the concentrations of six studied heavy metals decreased throughout the whole food web, but Cu and Zn concentrations increased along the bird and reptile food chains, respectively. The trophic transfer of metals for the key species should be of special attention, as the trophic biomagnification factor (TMF) in a food web may overlook the ecological risks of metals for certain species, especially those at high trophic levels. The estimated daily intake (EDI) and the target hazard quotient (THQ) results showed that Cu, Cd, and Pb posed the main risks on human health, especially through the consumption of snail and crab species.

Biomonitoring-Health Risk Nexus of Potentially Toxic Metals on Cerithidea obtusa: A Biomonitoring Study from Peninsular Malaysia.

The present study aimed to assess the human health risks of six potentially toxic metals (PTMs) (Cd, Cu, Fe, Ni, Pb and Zn) in 21 populations of popular mangrove snails, Cerithidea obtusa, collected from Malaysia. In general, the concentrations (mg/kg wet weight) of Cd (0.03-2.32), Cu (11.4-35.2), Fe (40.9-759), Ni (0.40-6.14), Pb (0.90-13.4) and Zn (3.11-129) found in the snails in all populations were lower than the prescribed maximum permissible limits (MPL)s for Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn. However, in the investigated snail populations, Cd (14%), Pb (62%), Cu (19%), and Zn (10%) were found in exceedance of the MPL of the respective metal. The target hazard quotient (THQ) values in all populations for Cu, Ni, Fe and Zn were all found to be below 1.00. However, for the THQ values of Cd and Pb, two populations exceeded 1.00, while others were below the threshold level. The estimated weekly intake (EWI) of all six metals for all populations was only 0.03-4.65% of the provisional tolerable weekly intake. This conclusively indicates that, based on the EWI, there are no health risks of the six PTMs in the consumption of snails from Malaysia since the assessments are dependent on the consumers' body weight and consumption rate. Nonetheless, the present results indicate that the amounts of snails consumed should be limited to minimize the potential health risks of PTMs to consumers. The relatively low and weak but positive correlations of Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn between C. obtusa and their habitat sediments indicate that C. obtusa can be a potential biomonitor for Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn. This is important for effective mangrove management from the perspective of the sustainable resources from the intertidal mangrove environment. Hence, the biomonitoring-health risk nexus of PTMs in mangrove snails is proposed in the present study.

Exploring the mechanisms underlying the toxicity of boric acid against the land snail, Theba pisana.

The land snail, Theba pisana, is one of the most important threats facing agriculture around the globe. Boric acid (BOA) is currently used as a safe alternative molluscicide to control land snails in sustainable agriculture, but the mechanisms of toxicity have not yet been investigated. The present study characterizes the lethal and sub-lethal (0.5 and 1mg g-1 ) toxic effects of BOA-contaminated food for 14 days by examining physiological, biochemical and histopathological indicators in T. pisana to understand the mechanisms underlying its toxic action. BOA was found to be lethal against T. pisana with LC50 values of 24.7 and 8.05 mg g-1 after 3 and 7 days of exposure, respectively. BOA sublethal concentrations led to a significant reduction in food consumption and growth of snails after 14 days of exposure. BOA also caused a significant increase in testosterone levels, whereas an opposite effect was observed in estradiol levels. An increase in progesterone levels in snails in the 0.5mg g-1 BOA group and a decrease in the 1mg g-1 BOA group were observed after all exposure times. Moreover, the lipid peroxidation level and catalase activity were elevated, whereas acetylcholinesterase activity was inhibited in the treated snails. Alteration in glutathione-S-transferase activity was noticed after exposure to both sublethal concentrations. In addition, BOA induced histopathological alterations in the digestive gland of T. pisana. Our findings provide novel insights into how physiological, biochemical and histopathological alterations can be used to explore the mechanisms underlying BOA toxicity against snails. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.

Atypical life cycle does not lead to inbreeding or selfing in parasites despite clonemate accumulation in intermediate hosts.

Many parasites utilize asexual and sexual reproduction and multiple hosts to complete their life cycles. How these taxa avoid inbreeding is an essential question for understanding parasite evolution and ecology. Aquatic trematodes that require multiple host species may benefit from diverse genetic parasite assemblages accumulating within second intermediate hosts prior to sexual reproduction in definitive hosts. However, Cotylurus species are able to utilize the same snail species as first and second intermediate hosts, potentially resulting in the accumulation of genetically identical clones (clonemates) prior to sexual reproduction. In this study, we developed and analysed novel microsatellite loci to determine if clones are accumulating within snail hosts prior to ingestion by bird hosts and the effects this could have on parasite inbreeding. Contrary to previous studies of aquatic trematodes, significantly large numbers of clonemates were present within snails, but full-sibs were not. Genetic structure was present over a relatively small geographical scale despite the use of vagile definitive hosts. Phylogenetic analysis identified the Cotylurus sp. clones as belonging to a single species. Despite the presence of clones within snails, mating between clones/selfing was not common and heterozygosity is maintained within individuals. Potential issues with clones mating may be mitigated by the presence of snails with numerous clones, the consumption of many snails by bird hosts and parasite clone recognition/avoidance. Use of the same host species for multiple life stages may have advantages when parasites are able to avoid inbreeding and the required hosts are common.

WSTĘPNA ANALIZA WYNIKÓW PRODUKCYJNYCH ŚLIMAKA JADALNEGO HELIX ASPERSA ASPERSA ŻYWIONEGO MIESZANKĄ PASZOWĄ Z DODATKIEM PIDOLANU WAPNIA

In the last few decades there has been an upward trend in consumption of edible snails of the species Helix aspersa in European countries. In the 1990s the first Helix aspersa aspersa snail farms in Poland appeared, and the country’s heliculture now accounts for about 10% of European pro- duction. Parameters used to calculate the profitability of production play an important role in all farming systems; in the case of snails these include the feed conversion rate and yield (kg per m2). Recent years have seen growing interest in organic sources of microelements as feed additives to increase productivity and enhance immunity. Therefore the aim of the study was to conduct pilot research on the effect of the addition of calcium pidolate to the diet on selected production and quality parame- ters in snails Helix aspersa aspersa. The experiment was carried out on two plots on a snail farm. Agrimony was grown on the two plots. The snails were fed grower and finisher diets. The diet for the experimental group was supplemented with 0.075% calcium pidolate. The experiment was continued until the snails reached somatic and commercial maturity. The snails in the experimental group were shown to mature earlier and weigh more, resulting in more kilograms of live weight per m2. Moreover, the percentage of snails classified as quality class I was higher in the experimental group. The amount of feed provided until completion of the cycle was higher in the control group, which could result in a longer fattening period and higher FCR. The pilot experiment carried out in snails Helix aspersa aspersa demonstrated that the addition of calcium pidolate to the diet of snails can result in a higher final weight and lower feed consumption.

Clinical, Laboratory and Radiological Features of Paragonimiasis Misdiagnosed as Pulmonary Tuberculosis.

Paragonimiasis presents with nonspecific symptoms and radiologic findings, allowing for the possibility of misdiagnosis. Diagnosis is generally delayed due to lack of suspicion and presentation similar to pulmonary tuberculosis. A prospective observational study was carried out on 20 subjects at Civil Service Hospital of Nepal from March 2015 to June 2019 who presented with eosinophilia and pulmonary symptoms, and were treated empirically with Anti-tubercular therapy for suspicion of pulmonary tuberculosis. The median age of the patient was 34 years. Mean blood absolute eosinophil count was 16678/ul. Fever was present in 80% (n=16). Cough was present in 90% (n=18). Pleural effusion was noticed in 100% (n=20). Chest computed tomography showed ground-glass opacities in 65% (n=13) of patients. Pleural fluid eosinophilia (>10%) was evident in all patients. Pleural fluid LDH was elevated in 85% (n=17) of patients. Similarly, ADA was high (>40U) in 75% (n= 15) of patients, and pleural fluid sugar was low in 80% (n=16) of patients. All patients (100%) gave a history of crab or snail consumption. Paragonimus egg was detected in five (25%) patients. Twenty patients fulfilled definite or probable diagnostic criteria of paragonimiasis. Ninety-five (n=19) patients responded to praziquantel. Unavailability of serologic tests or failure to demonstrate parasitic egg under the microscope should not discourage physicians to consider the diagnosis of paragonimiasis when marked eosinophilia, high LDH levels, and low glucose levels are identified in pleural fluid of a patient with a history of raw crab or snail consumption.

The current consumption of land snails in Tunisia: An ethnographic study

Piercing of land snails is archaeologically attested in prehistoric North Africa, but there is very little information about the techniques employed by the ancient peoples. This ethnographic study aims to throw light on this phenomenon. The consumption of land snails is one of the important culinary traditions of a large part of the current Tunisian population. Collected terrestrial gastropods and their preparation vary from one region to another and from one family to another. Consumption techniques depend on the position of the body of the mollusc at the entrance of the shell after cooking and the consumer's mastery of extraction techniques. In addition to simple extraction, the piercing of the shells, by human canines or by any other tool, offers an effective solution for removal of the animal from the shell. The position of the perforation on the shell (upper or lower part) is related to the part of the mollusc flesh desired by the consumer.

Identifying potential predators of the apple snail in the most important invasion area of Europe

The only wetland in Europe colonized successfully by the apple snail Pomacea maculata Perry, 1810, is the Ebro Delta (Spain). After 10 years, it has become widespread there, despite significant eradication attempts. In spite of its great negative ecological and economic impacts, its incorporation into food webs can result in an abundant potential resource for native and exotic predators. We identified the potential predators, including fishes, amphibians, crustaceans, birds, turtles and mammals in natural conditions using stable isotopic analyses (δ13C and δ15N). Six predator species, three native (two birds and one frog) and three invasive (one crustacean, one turtle and one mammal), were confirmed to consume apple snails. None of the 10 fish species analyzed consumed apple snails, although some have been previously observed consuming this snail under laboratory conditions. This study emphasizes the need to assess the consumption of apple snail, as well as other invasive organisms, by potential predators in natural conditions to confirm the establishment of new trophic relationships and to understand whether these potential predators actually act as biological control agents in nature.

The accumulation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in snails and soil in Igbekebo, Ondo State, Nigeria

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) are harmful to human health and can cause cancer. The PAHs concentration in soil and snail samples collected from the Igbekebo region of Ondo state was measured in this study. Using metal spoons, soil samples were taken from five separate sites and placed in foil paper bags at a depth of 10 cm. For each type of snail under study, eight (8) samples were randomly taken from five distinct locations. Gas chromatography flame ionization detector (GC-FID) was used to analyze the samples. The estimated daily intake (EDI) and bioaccumulation factor (BAF) in the snail samples, as well as the toxic equivalence quotient (TEQ) and mutagenicity equivalence quotient (MEQ) in the soil samples, were calculated. This study showed that concentration levels of PAHs in soil, freshwater snail (Bulinus globosus), and land snail (Achatina marginata) samples were within the range of 0.1894–48.8063 μgkg−1, 0.15–40.14 μgkg−1, and 0.56–60.79 μgkg−1 respectively. Dibenzo(a,h)anthracene, anthracene, and Dibenzo(a,h)anthracene, respectively, were the most common PAHs found in soil, freshwater snails, and land snails. The total PAHs concentration in freshwater snail sample was lower when compared to other studies. The toxicity of each PAH in the soil sample was determined using Toxic Equivalent Factor (TEF) and Mutagenic Equivalent Factor (MEF) values, and the results were compared to the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment’s (Dutch: Rijksinstuut voor Volksgezondheid en Milieu (RIVM)) toxicity limits. It is advised to restrict crop and land snail consumption in Igbekebo since the soil samples from Igbekebo had a higher PAH toxicity value than the RIVM toxicity limit.