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Use of the Aquatic Oligochaetes Lumbriculus Variegatus and Tubifex Tubifex for Assessing the Toxicity of Copper and Cadmium in Spiked-Sediment Toxicity Bioassay

  • East Tennessee State University
  • Aquatic Resource Center

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

<p> A sediment toxicity test using the freshwater oligochaetes <em> Lumbriculus variegatus </em> and <em> Tubifex tubifex </em> was performed. We evaluated acute and chronic toxicity affects of copper and cadmium on reproduction in both species and the bioaccumulation of both metals by <em> L. variegatus </em> using artificial sediment. <em> L. variegatus </em> bioconcentrated copper 22&hyphen;fold and cadmium 16&hyphen;fold after a 14&hyphen;day exposure to spiked artificial sediments with 0.02% organic content. The EC <sub> 50 </sub> for <em> T. tubifex </em> varied depending upon endpoint from 2.7 to 2.8 mg/L for cadmium and from 8.4 to 8.9 mg/L for copper. The EC <sub> 50 </sub> for <em> L. variegatus </em> was 2.2 mg/L for cadmium and 3.9 mg/L for copper. Based on these results, <em> L. variegatus </em> appears to be more sensitive to metal toxicity in artificial sediments than T. tubifex.</p>
Original languageAmerican English
JournalEnvironmental Toxicology
Volume12
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 1 1999

Keywords

  • toxicity

Disciplines

  • Toxicology

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