Abstract
A sediment-based toxicity test was designed to investigate the biological response of the amphipod Corophium volutator exposed to three common arsenic minerals, namely realgar (AsS), orpiment (As2S3) and arsenopyrite (Fe[AsS]). The LD50 for the loaded minerals and the added As in the sediment showed mineral-dependent toxicities increasing in the order of AsS approximate to As2S3 < Fe[AsS] (224-1329 mg As kg(-1)). The exposed animals accumulated arsenic in a mineral-dependent manner similar to the observed toxicity, with AsS approximate to As2S3 and both higher than that for Fe[AsS]. The arsenic concentration in C. volutator at the LD50 exposure exhibits the same mineral independences, confirming that the response is arsenic specific. A significant increase in extractable inorganic arsenic in the tissue (over 100-fold) at higher arsenic exposures (up to 3% mineral-loading, w/w) was revealed hence no significant biotransformation of inorganic arsenic. C. volutator is sensitive to arsenic and has the potential to be used as a bio-indicator to assess the toxicity of arsenic-containing sediments or arsenic-containing mining wastes.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 52-61 |
Number of pages | 10 |
Journal | Environmental Chemistry |
Volume | 8 |
Issue number | 1 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 2011 |
Keywords
- bioaccumulation
- biotransformation
- speciation
- oxidation-kinetics
- trace-metals
- estuarine
- invertebrates
- arsenosugars
- dissolution
- environment
- metabolism
- sediment