Toxicity of aluminium in natural waters controlled by type rather than quantity of natural organic matter

• Published in: The Science of the total environment Vol. 409; no. 24; pp. 5277 - 5283
• Main Authors: Papathanasiou, Grigorios, White, Keith N., Walton, Rachel, Boult, Stephen
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier B.V 15.11.2011; Elsevier
• Subjects: Alginates; Alginates - analysis; Alginates - pharmacology; Aluminium; Aluminum; Aluminum - pharmacokinetics; Aluminum - toxicity; analysis; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Animals; Applied ecology; Biological and medical sciences; Biological Availability; chemistry; Concentration (composition); drug effects; Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution; Fresh Water; Fresh Water - chemistry; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General aspects; Glucuronic Acid; Glucuronic Acid - analysis; Glucuronic Acid - pharmacology; Grazing; Hexuronic Acids; Hexuronic Acids - analysis; Hexuronic Acids - pharmacology; humic acids; Humic Substances; Humic Substances - analysis; Hydroxyapatite; Lymnaea; Lymnaea - drug effects; Lymnaea - physiology; Lymnaea stagnalis; Natural organic matter; Partitioning; pharmacokinetics; pharmacology; physiology; Settling; snails; Tissue Distribution; Toxicity; toxicity testing; Uptakes; Water Pollutants, Chemical; Water Pollutants, Chemical - pharmacokinetics; Water Pollutants, Chemical - toxicity; water quality; Lymnaea stagnalis; Aluminium; Toxicity; Natural organic matter; Organic matter; Pulmonata; Intermediate host; Gastropoda; Invertebrata; Mollusca
• ISSN: 0048-9697; 1879-1026; 1879-1026
• DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2011.08.064

Extension of the conditions under which Al toxicity is tested is required. Environmentally representative preparation of waters is used in investigating roles of alginate (AA) and humic acids (HA) in partitioning of Al (0.5mgL−1), subsequent uptake and accumulation by and toxicity to Lymnaea stagnalis. HA and AA did not alter precipitation of Al(OH)3, but altered subsequent behaviour of Al. High (40mgL−1) HA concentrations, and to a lesser extent AA, prevented settling and availability for benthic grazing but made deposited Al more likely to be ingested. HA detoxified but AA increased toxicity relative to Al alone. Low concentration (4mgL−1) AA and HA do not change partitioning but increase uptake; they both detoxify, but AA less than HA. The study shows OC:Al ratio is critical in predicting Al behaviour in natural waters, also uptake is mediated by snail behaviour, not solely a function of concentration and form of Al. Therefore, predicting Al behaviour will be subject to errors in determining relevant water composition and response of biota to the new speciation. However, with respect to toxicity, rather than other aspects of Al behaviour, different ratios of HA and Al are insignificant compared to whether AA is present rather than HA. ► Toxicity assessment in which environmental relevance is of primary concern. ► Mass balance of Al monitored throughout the exposure period. ► Al behaviour influenced by concentration of organic matter. ► Strong dependence of toxicity on type rather than concentration of organic matter. ► Toxicity is a function of Al behaviour but also animal behaviour.