title: Integrated study of metal behavior in Mediterranean stream ecosystems: a case-study.
abstract: The objective of the present work was to assess the ecosystem status of Francolí river (Catalonia, Spain), a Mediterranean stream basin with contrasting human influences. An integrated approach was designed by combining physicochemical, biological and ecotoxicological analyses. The content of metals (As, Cd, Cr, Co, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb, and Zn) was analyzed in samples of water, benthic sediments and aquatic macroinvertebrates. In addition, the potentially bioavailable fraction of metals in water and sediments was determined by using diffusive gradient in thin-films (DGTs) and sequential extraction of sediments (BCR), respectively. The biological quality was evaluated through aquatic macroinvertebrate communities, while the ecotoxicological status was assessed by Microtox(®) with Vibrio fischeri. Finally, an analysis of acid-volatile sulfide (AVS) and simultaneously extracted metals (SEM) was performed to evaluate the sediment toxicity associated to metal content. According to the results, DGTs and BCR are suitable methodologies to predict the potential bioavailable fraction of metals in freshwater systems. Moreover, ecotoxicity evaluation by means of V. fischeri, in combination with the chemical characterization and the biological quality assessment, should be complementarily used to get a better diagnose of freshwater systems.
authors: Environmental Engineering Laboratory, Departament d'Enginyeria Quimica, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Av. Països Catalans 26, 43007 Tarragona, Catalonia, Spain; Laboratory of Toxicology and Environmental Health, School of Medicine, IISPV, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Sant Llorenç 21, 43201 Reus, Catalonia, Spain. Electronic address: neus.roig@urv.cat.
authors: Neus
authors: N
authors: Roig
authors: Jordi
authors: J
authors: Sierra
authors: Jesús D
authors: JD
authors: Ortiz
authors: Gora
authors: G
authors: Merseburger
authors: Marta
authors: M
authors: Schuhmacher
authors: José L
authors: JL
authors: Domingo
authors: Martí
authors: M
authors: Nadal
mesh_terms: D048908:Aliivibrio fischeri / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D001151:Arsenic / Q000032:analysis* / Q000633:toxicity; D044822:Biodiversity; D017753:Ecosystem; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000032:analysis; D007448:Invertebrates; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000032:analysis* / Q000633:toxicity; D045483:Rivers; D013030:Spain; D013440:Sulfides / Q000032:analysis; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis* / Q000633:toxicity
chemical_list: D019216:Metals, Heavy; D013440:Sulfides; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D001151:Arsenic
keywords: Diffusive gradient in thin films; Freshwater systems; Heavy metal; Macroinvertebrate; Vibrio fischeri