Toxicity of metals to a freshwater snail, Melanoides tuberculata.
Adult freshwater snails Melanoides tuberculata (Gastropod, Thiaridae) were exposed for a four-day period in laboratory conditions to a range of copper (Cu), cadmium (Cd), zinc (Zn), lead (Pb), nickel (Ni), iron (Fe), aluminium (Al), and manganese (Mn) concentrations. Mortality was assessed and median lethal times (LT₅₀) and concentrations (LC₅₀) were calculated. LT₅₀ and LC₅₀ increased with the decrease in mean exposure concentrations and times, respectively, for all metals. The LC(50) values for the 96-hour exposures to Cu, Cd, Zn, Pb, Ni, Fe, Al, and Mn were 0.14, 1.49, 3.90, 6.82, 8.46, 8.49, 68.23, and 45.59 mg L⁻¹, respectively. Cu was the most toxic metal to M. tuberculata, followed by Cd, Zn, Pb, Ni, Fe, Mn, and Al (Cu > Cd > Zn > Pb > Ni > Fe > Mn > Al). Metals bioconcentration in M. tuberculata increases with exposure to increasing concentrations and Cu has the highest accumulation (concentration factor) in the soft tissues. A comparison of LC₅₀ values for metals for this species with those for other freshwater gastropods reveals that M. tuberculata is equally sensitive to metals.
School of Environmental and Natural Resource Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology, National University of Malaysia-UKM, Selangor, 43600 Bangi, Malaysia. shuhaimi@ukm.my
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M
Shuhaimi-Othman
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R
Nur-Amalina
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Y
Nadzifah
D000818:Animals; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005618:Fresh Water; D008670:Metals / Q000633:toxicity*; D012908:Snails / Q000187:drug effects*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000633:toxicity*
D008670:Metals; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical