Sensitivity of early life stages of freshwater mussels (Unionidae) to acute and chronic toxicity of lead, cadmium, and zinc in water

Abstract

Toxicity of lead, cadmium, or zinc to early life stages of freshwater mussels (fatmucket, Lampsilis siliquoidea; Neosho mucket, L. rafinesqueana) was evaluated in 48-h exposures with mussel larvae (glochidia), in 96-h exposures with newly transformed (5-d-old) and two- or six-month-old juvenile mussels, or in 28-d exposures with two- or four-month-old mussels in reconstituted soft water. The 24-h median effect concentrations (EC50s) for fatmucket glochidia (>299 microg Pb/L, >227 microg Cd/L, 2,685 microg Zn/L) and 96-h EC50s for two- or six-month-old fatmucket (>426 microg Pb/L, 199 microg Cd/L, 1,700 microg Zn/L) were much higher than 96-h EC50s for newly transformed fatmucket (142 and 298 microg Pb/L, 16 microg Cd/L, 151 and 175 microg Zn/L) and Neosho mucket (188 microg Pb/L, 20 microg Cd/L, 145 microg Zn/L). Chronic values for fatmucket were 10 microg Pb/L, 6.0 microg Cd/L, and 63 and 68 microg Zn/L. When mussel data from the present study and the literature were included in updated databases for deriving U.S. Environmental Protection Agency water quality criteria, mussel genus mean acute values were in the lower percentiles of the sensitivity distribution of all freshwater species for Pb (the 26th percentile), Cd (the 15th to 29th percentile), or Zn (the 12th to 21st percentile). The mussel (Lampsilis) genus mean chronic value was the lowest value ever reported for Pb (the 9th percentile) but was near the middle of the sensitivity distribution for Cd (the 61st percentile) or Zn (the 44th percentile). These results indicate that mussels were relatively sensitive to the acute toxicity of these three metals and to the chronic toxicity of Pb, but were moderately sensitive to the chronic toxicity of Cd or Zn compared to other freshwater species.

Relative sensitivity of an amphipod Hyalella azteca, a midge Chironomus dilutus, and a unionid mussel Lampsilis siliquoidea to a toxic sediment

“…Methods for conducting the sediment toxicity tests with H. azteca and C. dilutus were based on procedures outlined by ASTM International [1] and the USEPA [2]. The method for conducting the sediment toxicity tests with L. siliquoidea were adapted from water-only testing methods outlined in ASTM International [7] and Wang et al [9][10][11].…”

“…Because of its small size, the weight of the <1-h-old C. dilutus was not determined at the start of the exposures. Approximately 6-wk-old L. siliquoidea (mean starting size 0.20 mg dry wt/individual) used to start the exposures were obtained from organisms propagated at Missouri State University (Springfield, MO, USA) and cultured at the CERC Laboratory [9][10][11]17].…”

“…Ingersoll, unpublished data). Lampsilis siliquoidea were fed 2 mL of an algal mixture twice daily (Nannochloropsis concentrate and Shellfish Diet, Reed Mariculture; algal density $510 nL cell volume/ mL [7,[9][10][11]17]; Supplemental Data, Table S1). Food was provided to test organisms after the cycling of the water delivery system to allow more time for the food to be consumed by test organisms.…”

“…For example, there were multiple treatments in sand dilutions or West Bearskin Lake sediment dilutions where survival was above 80%, yet weight exhibited little or no increase during the 28-d exposures (Supplemental Data, Table S6). Avoidance behavior might also have contributed to variable dose response relationships observed in some of the previous 28-d water or sediment toxicity tests conducted at the CERC Laboratory with juvenile mussels [9][10][11].…”

Effects of mining-derived metals on riffle-dwelling benthic fishes in Southeast Missouri, USA

“…The TSMD was mined for zinc (Zn) and lead (Pb) for [150 years, beginning in the mid-1800s and ending in the late 1960s, with peak production occurring during World War II (Stewart 1986). Many sites in the TSMD are contaminated by wastes from historical mining, ore processing, and smelting (Barks 1977;Czarnezki 1985;Davis and Schumacher 1992), which has resulted in effects on aquatic organisms and potential risk to humans and wildlife (Angelo et al 2007;MacDonald et al 2010;Schmitt et al 2006;Wang et al 2010;Wildhaber et al 1997Wildhaber et al , 2000. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) has established four Superfund National Priority List (NPL) sites within the TSMD.…”