title: Dose-dependent effects of cadmium on the growth of snails in toxicity bioassays.
abstract: The effects on survival and growth of exposure to cadmium (Cd) in the food were analyzed in juvenile snails (age one month, mean weight 1 g) of the two subspecies Helix aspersa aspersa (H.a.a.) and H. aspersa maxima (H.a.m.). The experiments lasted for four weeks and the animals were fed with special snail food containing 0-, 50-, 100-, 200-, 400-, and 800 microg Cd/g of dry food. No significant adverse effect (NOEC) was noted at 50 microg/g for three weeks. A negative effect of Cd on growth was noted from 100 to 800 microg/g and plotting the growth coefficient variation against the Cd concentration led to an estimate of the EC75 at day 14 of 370 microg/g in H.a.a. and 470 microg/g in H.a.m. and at day 28 of 290 microg/g in H.a.a. and 330 microg/g in H.a.m. Juvenile snails are thus a suitable material for use as bioindicators in the assay of contamination of food.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Biologie des Organismes et Ecosystèmes, U.F.R. des Sciences et Techniques, Place Maréchal Leclerc, 25030 Besançon Cedex, France.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gomot
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001681:Biological Assay; D002104:Cadmium / Q000633:toxicity*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D006372:Helix, Snails / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D018675:Toxicity Tests
chemical_list: D002104:Cadmium