Chronic sublethal sediment toxicity testing using the estuarine amphipod, Melita plumulosa (Zeidler): evaluation using metal-spiked and field-contaminated sediments.

Gale, SA; King, CK; Hyne, RV

Chronic sublethal sediment toxicity testing using the estuarine amphipod, Melita plumulosa (Zeidler): evaluation using metal-spiked and field-contaminated sediments.

Gale, SA King, CK Hyne, RV

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Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Environ Toxicol Chem, 2006, 25 (7), pp. 1887 - 1898
Issue Date:: 2006-07

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Gale, SA	en_US
dc.contributor.author	King, CK	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Hyne, RV	en_US
dc.date.issued	2006-07	en_US
dc.identifier.citation	Environ Toxicol Chem, 2006, 25 (7), pp. 1887 - 1898	en_US
dc.identifier.issn	0730-7268	en_US
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/3625
dc.description.abstract	The present study describes the development of a 42-d chronic sublethal sediment toxicity test using the estuarine amphipod Melita plumulosa (Zeilder). This test was shown to predict the toxicity of metal-contaminated sediments previously found to adversely affect benthic community structure. Metals initially were tested individually by spiking reference sediment under conditions that ensured low metal concentrations in pore waters. Fertility was the most sensitive sublethal endpoint for copper- and zinc-spiked sediments, whereas cadmium-spiked sediments were not toxic to M. plumulosa, despite their high bioaccumulation of cadmium. The 42-d chronic sediment test was reproducible; however, variation between reference sediments collected from the same field location over time or from different locations did affect the reproduction of M. plumulosa. Sensitivity of M. plumulosa to metal-spiked sediments suggested that the interim sediment-quality guidelines (ISQGs) were too conservative. However, toxicity testing of sediments collected from field sites known to affect community assemblages significantly (p < 0.001) reduced the fertility of M. plumulosa, reflecting benthic community survey results and supporting the ISQGs. Bioaccumulation of cadmium and copper by M. plumulosa was elevated following chronic exposure to both laboratory and field-contaminated sediments; however, zinc bioaccumulation could be measured only in M. plumulosa exposed to field-contaminated sediments.	en_US
dc.language	eng	en_US
dc.relation.ispartof	Environ Toxicol Chem	en_US
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1897/05-468r.1	en_US
dc.subject.classification	Environmental Sciences	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Animals	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Amphipoda	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Metals, Heavy	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Water Pollutants, Chemical	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Sensitivity and Specificity	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Toxicity Tests	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Environmental Monitoring	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Fertility	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Geologic Sediments	en_US
dc.title	Chronic sublethal sediment toxicity testing using the estuarine amphipod, Melita plumulosa (Zeidler): evaluation using metal-spiked and field-contaminated sediments.	en_US
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	7	en_US
utslib.citation.volume	25	en_US
utslib.location.activity	United States	en_US
utslib.for	0399 Other Chemical Sciences	en_US
utslib.for	03 Chemical Sciences	en_US
utslib.for	05 Environmental Sciences	en_US
utslib.for	06 Biological Sciences	en_US
pubs.embargo.period	Not known	en_US
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology
utslib.copyright.status	closed_access
pubs.issue	7	en_US
pubs.publication-status	Published	en_US
pubs.volume	25	en_US

Abstract:

The present study describes the development of a 42-d chronic sublethal sediment toxicity test using the estuarine amphipod Melita plumulosa (Zeilder). This test was shown to predict the toxicity of metal-contaminated sediments previously found to adversely affect benthic community structure. Metals initially were tested individually by spiking reference sediment under conditions that ensured low metal concentrations in pore waters. Fertility was the most sensitive sublethal endpoint for copper- and zinc-spiked sediments, whereas cadmium-spiked sediments were not toxic to M. plumulosa, despite their high bioaccumulation of cadmium. The 42-d chronic sediment test was reproducible; however, variation between reference sediments collected from the same field location over time or from different locations did affect the reproduction of M. plumulosa. Sensitivity of M. plumulosa to metal-spiked sediments suggested that the interim sediment-quality guidelines (ISQGs) were too conservative. However, toxicity testing of sediments collected from field sites known to affect community assemblages significantly (p < 0.001) reduced the fertility of M. plumulosa, reflecting benthic community survey results and supporting the ISQGs. Bioaccumulation of cadmium and copper by M. plumulosa was elevated following chronic exposure to both laboratory and field-contaminated sediments; however, zinc bioaccumulation could be measured only in M. plumulosa exposed to field-contaminated sediments.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/3625