title: Influence of water quality on zinc toxicity to the Florida apple snail (Pomacea paludosa) and sensitivity of freshwater snails to zinc.
abstract: The present study characterized the influence of water-quality characteristics on zinc (Zn) toxicity to the Florida apple snail (Pomacea paludosa) and the sensitivity of freshwater snails to Zn. Standard 96-h renewal acute toxicity tests were conducted with Zn and juvenile P. paludosa under 3 conditions of pH and alkalinity, water hardness, and dissolved organic carbon (DOC). Median lethal effect concentrations (96-h LC50s), no-observed- effect concentrations, lowest-observed-effect concentrations, LC10s, and LC20s were determined for each test. The results showed that Zn toxicity to P. paludosa decreased linearly with increasing hardness, pH, and DOC. A multiple linear regression model based on pH, hardness, and DOC was able to explain 99% of the observed variability in LC50s. These results are useful for the development of a biotic ligand model (BLM) for P. paludosa and Zn. Zinc acute toxicity data were collected from the literature for 12 freshwater snail species in a wide range of water-quality characteristics for species sensitivity distribution analysis. The results showed that P. paludosa is the second most sensitive to Zn. The present study also suggested that aqueous ZnCO3 and ZnHCO3 (-) can be bioavailable to P. paludosa. Therefore, bioavailability models (e.g., BLM) should take these Zn species into consideration for bioavailability when applied to snails.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Environmental Sustainability, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, Illinois.
authors.forename: Tham C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Hoang
authors.forename: Xin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Tong
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002244:Carbon / Q000032:analysis; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D005431:Florida; D005618:Fresh Water; D006244:Hardness; D006372:Helix, Snails / Q000187:drug effects*; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D016014:Linear Models; D027845:Malus / Q000469:parasitology*; D023382:Toxicity Tests, Acute; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000633:toxicity; D060753:Water Quality; D015032:Zinc / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D002244:Carbon; D015032:Zinc
keywords: Florida apple snail (Pomacea paludosa); Freshwater snail sensitivity; Species sensitivity distribution; Zinc toxicity