title: The detection of chronic biological effects in the marine intertidal bivalve cerastoderma edule, in model ecosystem studies with pulverised fuel ash: reproduction and histopathology.
abstract: The cockle Cerastoderma edule was exposed to sediments variously comprised of pulverised fuel ash (PFA) for two consecutive periods of 3 and 9 months. Chronic effects of PFA on this filter feeding bivalve were studied by examining changes in cellular and tissue pathology with the aid of a screening procedure developed for analysing histopathology conditional. The mortality rate was high, up 43% for the 100% PFA sediment and growth of the individual bivalves was low. The accumulation of metals appeared to be low at 1-10 times background tissue levels. Signs of cellular stress were seen in the digestive gland after the first 3 months. However, after 9 months, this same organ was in fairly good condition. Reproduction was delayed due to slow oocyte maturation.
authors.affiliation: TNO, Institute of Environmental Sciences, Environmental Toxicology Section, PO Box 6011, 2600 J A Delft, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bowmer
authors.forename: H A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Jenner
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Foekema
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Van Der Meer