Effect of cadmium, chromium, lead and metal mixtures on survival and growth of juveniles of the scallop Argopecten ventricosus (Sowerby II, 1842)

• Published in: Journal of environmental science and health. Part A, Toxic/hazardous substances & environmental engineering Vol. 42; no. 10; pp. 1443 - 1447
• Main Authors: Sobrino-Figueroa, Alma S., Cáceres-MartÍnez, Carlos, Botello, Alfonso V., Nunez-Nogueira, G.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Taylor & Francis Group 01.08.2007
• Subjects: Animals; Argopecten ventricosus; Bivalvia; Cadmium; catarina scallops; Chromium; Crassostrea virginica; Drug Interactions; Environmental engineering; Environmental Monitoring; heavy metal effects; Lead (metal); Lethal concentration; Lethal Dose 50; Marine; Metals, Heavy - toxicity; Pectinidae - drug effects; Pectinidae - physiology; Scallops; Survival; Toxic; toxic metals; toxic units; Toxicity; Toxicology; ventricosus; Water Pollutants, Chemical - toxicity
• ISSN: 1093-4529; 1532-4117
• DOI: 10.1080/10934520701480821

The effects of Cd, Cr, Pb and their mixtures on the growth and sensitivity of the scallop Argopecten ventricosus were analyzed in this study. Cadmium showed to be more toxic metal to juveniles (96 hour median lethal concentration (LC 50 ) = 0.396 mg Cd/L), followed by lead (LC 50 = 0.830 mg Pb/L) and chromium (LC 50 = 3.430 mg Cr/L). Cadmium toxicity was 8 times higher than chromium and 2 times than lead. The most toxic combination was Cd + Cr + Pb. (LC 50 = 0.302 mg/L). Based on toxic units analyses (T.U.), a synergistic effect was observed for Cr + Pb and Cd + Cr + Pb. (T.U. = 0.374; T.U. = 0.403), and antagonic effects for Cd + Cr and Cd + Pb (T.U. = 1.26; T.U. = 1.43) respectively. The level of effect (from high to low) on the growth of A. ventricosus juveniles was: Cd > Cd + Cr + Pb > Cr > Pb. The EC 50 (metal concentration where a reduction of 50% growing rate is observed) obtained were: Cd = 0.018 mg/L, Cd + Cr + Pb = 0.104 mg/L, Cr = 0.51 mg/L and Pb = 4.21 mg/L. These results suggest that A. ventricosus juveniles are more sensitive to these metals in comparison to other juveniles from other bivalve species (e.g., A. irradians, Mytillus edulis, Crassostrea virginica).