Arsenic bioaccumulation and species in marine polychaeta

Abstract

Published whole tissue arsenic concentrations in polychaete species tissues range from 1.5-2739 µg arsenic/g dry mass. Higher mean total arsenic concentrations are found in deposit-feeding polychaetes relative to non-deposit-feeding polychaete species collected from the same locations. However, mean arsenic concentrations at some of the locations are skewed by the high arsenic concentrations of Tharyx marioni. There appears to be no direct correlation between sediment arsenic concentrations and polychaete arsenic concentrations. Arsenic bioaccumulation by polychaetes appears to be more controlled by the physiology of the polychaetes rather than exposure to arsenic via ingested material or the prevailing physiochemical conditions. Arsenic concentrations in polychaete tissues can vary greatly.Most polychaete species contain the majority of their arsenic as arsenobetaine (57-98%), with trace concentrations of inorganic arsenic (<1%) and other simple methylated species (<7.5%). However, this is not always the case, with unusually high proportions of arsenite (57%), arsenate (23%) and dimethylarsinic acid (83-87%) in some polychaete species. Arsenobetaine is probably accumulated by polychaetes via organic food sources within the sediment. The presence of relatively high proportions of phosphate arsenoriboside (up to 12%) in some opportunistic omnivorous Nereididae polychaete species may be due to ingestion of macroalgae, benthic diatoms and/or phytoplankton.Consideration of the ecology of individual polychaete species in terms of their habitat type, food preferences, physiology and exposure to arsenic species is needed for the assessment of arsenic uptake pathways and bioaccumulation of arsenic. Future research should collect a range of polychaete species from a wide variety of uncontaminated marine habitats to determine the influence of these ecological factors on total arsenic concentrations and species proportions.

Natural attenuation processes for remediation of arsenic contaminated soils and groundwater

“…There is evidence that high concentrations of As can accumulate in microbes and plants [11][12][13]65,66]. It has been reported that the marine polychaeta accumulated As concentrations up to 2739 mg/kg (dry mass) [66].…”

“…It has been reported that the marine polychaeta accumulated As concentrations up to 2739 mg/kg (dry mass) [66]. However, As accumulation in Table 3 Reported As-hyperaccumulating plants and their performance…”

On the potential of biological treatment for arsenic contaminated soils and groundwater

“…High arsenic concentrations can be accumulated in microbes (e.g., bacteria, fungi, and algae) and plants even from substrates containing low concentrations (Kaise et al, 1997;Waring and Maher, 2005). It has been reported that marine Polychaete species could accumulate arsenic concentrations up to 2739 mg/kg (dry weight, Waring and Maher, 2005).…”

“…It has been reported that marine Polychaete species could accumulate arsenic concentrations up to 2739 mg/kg (dry weight, Waring and Maher, 2005). Takeuchi et al (2007) reported that arsenic accumulation in Marinomonas communis cells amounted to 2290 mg arsenic/kg (dry weight) when incubated on a medium containing 5 mg As(V)/L.…”

In situ high-resolution evaluation of labile arsenic and mercury in sediment of a large shallow lake

“…The situation is similarly serious for Hg contamination (McCormack, 2014). As is chemical species that may be bioaccumulated throughout the aquatic food chain, which is of concern from the perspective of human exposure (Bryan and Langston, 1992;Waring and Maher, 2005;Casado-Martinez et al, 2010). Previous work has indicated that Hg had an irreversible influence on organisms of the trophic food chains due to biomagnification (Fisher et al, 1984;Mathews and Fisher, 2008).…”