A comparison of the copper sensitivity of six invertebrate species in ambient salt water of varying dissolved organic matter concentrations.
The copper sensitivity of four saltwater invertebrates (the mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis, the oyster Crassostrea virginica, the sand dollar Dendraster excentricus, and the sea urchin Strongylocentrotus purpuratus) was determined experimentally using chronic-estimator embryo-larval test procedures. The effect of sample dissolved organic matter (DOM) content on Cu bioavailability was determined for these species using commonly prescribed test procedures. Comparisons were made among these test results and test results reported previously for two other invertebrate species: the mussel Mytilus edulis and the copepod Eurytemora affinis. All six species exhibited a direct and significant relationship between the sample dissolved organic carbon (DOC; a surrogate measure of DOM) and either the dissolved Cu median lethal concentration (LC50) values or median effect concentration (EC50) values. This relationship is significant even when the DOM has different quality as evidenced by molecular fluorescence spectroscopy. Once normalized for the effects of DOM, the Cu sensitivity of these species from least to most sensitive were E. affinis < D. excitricus < C. virginica approximately S. purpuratus approximately M. edulis approximately M. galloprovincialis. This ranking of species sensitivity differs from the saltwater species sensitivity distribution proposed in 2003 by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. These results support the need to account for factors that modify Cu bioavailability in future saltwater Cu criteria development efforts. More specifically, Cu saltwater species sensitivity distribution data will need to be normalized by factors affecting Cu bioavailability to assure that accurate and protective criteria are subsequently developed for saltwater species and their uses.
Arnold
W Ray
WR
Aquatic Ecological Risk Assessment, 4411 Kinsey Drive, No. 635, Tyler, Texas 75703, USA.
Cotsifas
Jeffrey S
JS
Pacific EcoRisk, 2250 Cordelia Road, Fairfield, California 94534, USA.
Ogle
R Scott
RS
Pacific EcoRisk, 2250 Cordelia Road, Fairfield, California 94534, USA.
DePalma
Sarah G S
SGS
Department of Biology, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3C5, Canada.
Smith
D Scott
DS
Department of Chemistry, Wilfrid Laurier University, 75 University Avenue West Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3C5, Canada.
D000818:Animals; D001682:Biological Availability; D049872:Bivalvia; D003300:Copper / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000633:toxicity*; D009930:Organic Chemicals / Q000032:analysis*; D010125:Ostreidae; D012617:Sea Urchins; D012623:Seawater / Q000032:analysis*; D013045:Species Specificity; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity*
D009930:Organic Chemicals; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D003300:Copper
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