Toxico-resistance of Baltic amphipod species to heavy metals

• Published in: Crustaceana 2013, Vol.86 (7-8), p.1007-1024
• Main Authors: Strode, Evita, Balode, Maija
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Cadmium; Copper; Fresh water; Heavy metals; Juveniles; Seas; Sediments; Species; Toxicity; Zinc
• ISSN: 0011-216X; 1568-5403; 0011-216X
• DOI: 10.1163/15685403-00003208

Benthic organisms are important components of aquatic ecosystems and have been widely used to assess environmental pollution. Being very sensitive to a wide range of toxicants amphipods are often used as test objects in eco-toxicological studies. The aim of this study was to compare toxico-resistance of various Baltic amphipod species to exposure of heavy metals. The acute toxicity (48-h LC50 and 96-h LC50) of cadmium (CdCl2), copper (CuSO4) and zinc (ZnSO4 ⋅ 7H2O) was detected experimentally, using juveniles and adults of brackish water amphipods, Monoporeia affinis, Bathyporeia pilosa, Gammarus tigrinus, Pontogammarus robustoides and the freshwater amphipod Gammarus pulex as test objects. Amphipods were collected in Latvian territorial waters of the Open Baltic Sea, the Gulf of Riga and in a freshwater body (Kalkugrava canal). Sensitivity of native amphipod species was compared to Hyalella azteca (a species widespread in North America; a strain obtained from the Chesapeake Culture Collection, Hayes, VA, U.S.A.). High sensitivity of all tested amphipod species, except M. affinis, to heavy metals was observed. A two-way ANOVA analysis showed significant differences in toxico-resistance of selected test objects (p