title: Age-related differential sensitivity to cadmium in Hyalella curvispina (Amphipoda) and implications in ecotoxicity studies.
abstract: The standardization of toxicity tests requires the selection of the most suitable test species and their developmental stages, as well as the selection of the appropriate assay matrix and the evaluation of the sensitivity of the test species to the reference toxicants. International protocols recommend the use of the amphipod Hyalella azteca from the Northern Hemisphere for sediment toxicity tests. We selected the widely distributed amphipod Hyalella curvispina, representative of pleustonic, epiphitic and zoobenthic assemblages in austral South America, as test species to be used in regional studies. Our goals were to evaluate the sensitivity of three developmental stages of H. curvispina to cadmium as a reference toxicant and to select the most suitable age and exposure time for aquatic ecotoxicity assessment. The three ages were highly susceptible to cadmium, with sensitivities: neonates > adults > juveniles. Our results validate the use of the native H. curvispina as a standard species for ecotoxicological assessment studies.
authors.affiliation: Aquatic Ecology Program, Basic Sciences Department, UNLu, Argentina.
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: García
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rodrígues Capítulo
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ferrari
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D033304:Amphipoda / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D002104:Cadmium / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity*; D048788:Growth and Development / Q000187:drug effects; D008018:Life Cycle Stages / Q000187:drug effects*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D002104:Cadmium