Histological evaluations of organ tissues reveal sublethal effects in a freshwater mussel (Villosa iris) exposed to chloride and potassium concentrations below benchmark estimates

Rogers, Jennifer J.; Henley, William F.; Weberg, Amanda G.; Jones, Jess W.; Cope, W. Gregory

doi:10.1016/j.aquatox.2023.106476

Cited by 2 publications

(1 citation statement)

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“…The even lower EC20 of 6.6 mg K/L from the longer term 12‐week exposure in the present study further demonstrates the high sensitivity of the mussel to KCl. Noticeably, Rogers et al (2023) recently found a significantly greater abundance of tissue abnormalities in digestive glands and kidneys of subadult rainbow mussel ( Villosa iris ) at exposure concentrations of as low as 4.2 mg K/L relative to the control after a 61‐day KCl exposure in a pond water (hardness ~210 mg/L as CaCO 3 ), indicating that effect concentrations on mussel organ tissues could be below the chronic effect concentrations based on mussel survival and growth. Glochidia and juvenile mussels are also highly sensitive to acute KCl exposures (Gillis et al, 2021; Salerno et al, 2019; Wang, Ivey, Dorman, et al, 2018).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 98%

Evaluation of Chronic Effects of Potassium Chloride and Nickel on Survival, Growth, and Reproduction of a Unionid Mussel (Lampsilis siliquoidea)

Wang,

Kunz,

Cleveland

et al. 2024

Enviro Toxic and Chemistry

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The ASTM International standard test method for freshwater mussels (E2455‐13) recommends 4‐week toxicity testing with juveniles to evaluate chronic effects on survival and growth. However, concerns remain that the method may not adequately address the sensitivity of mussels to longer term exposures (>4 weeks), particularly in relation to potential reproductive impairments. No standard method directly evaluates toxicant effects on mussel reproduction. The objectives of the present study were to (1) evaluate toxicity endpoints related to reproduction in fatmucket (Lampsilis siliquoidea) using two common reference toxicants, potassium chloride (KCl) and nickel (Ni); (2) evaluate the survival and growth of juvenile fatmucket in standard 4‐week and longer term (12‐week) KCl and Ni tests following a method refined from the standard method; and (3) compare the sensitivity of the reproductive endpoints with the endpoints obtained from the juvenile mussel tests. Reproductive toxicity tests were conducted by first exposing female fatmucket brooding mature larvae (glochidia) to five test concentrations of KCl and Ni for 6 weeks. Subsamples of the glochidia were then removed from the adults to determine three reproductive endpoints: (1) the viability of brooded glochidia; (2) the viability of free glochidia in a 24‐h exposure to the same toxicant concentrations as their mother; and (3) the success of glochidia parasitism on host fish. Mean viability of brooded glochidia was significantly reduced in the high KCl concentration (26 mg K/L) relative to the control, with a 20% effect concentration (EC20) of 14 mg K/L, but there were no significant differences between the control and any Ni treatment (EC20 > 95 µg Ni/L). The EC20s for viability of free glochidia after the additional 24‐h exposure and parasitism success were similar to the EC20s of brooded glochidia. The EC20s based on the most sensitive biomass endpoint in the 4‐week juvenile tests were 15 mg K/L and 91 µg Ni/L, similar to or greater than the EC20s from the reproductive KCl and Ni tests, respectively. When exposure duration in the juvenile tests was extended from 4 to 12 weeks, the EC20s decreased by more than 50% in the KCl test but by only 8% in the Ni test. Overall, these results indicate that a standard 4‐week test with juvenile mussels can prove effective for estimating effects in chronic exposures with different life stages although a longer term 12‐week exposure with juvenile mussels may reveal higher sensitivity of mussels to some toxicants, such as KCl. Environ Toxicol Chem 2024;00:1–15. © 2024 SETAC. This article has been contributed to by U.S. Government employees and their work is in the public domain in the USA.

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