title: Impact of soil cadmium on land snails: a two-stage exposure approach under semi-field conditions using bioaccumulative and conchological end-points of exposure.
abstract: Land snails are highly tolerant to cadmium exposure and are able to accumulate soil cadmium independently of food ingestion. However, little information exists on the kinetics of cadmium retention in terrestrial gastropods exposed to an increase in the soil cadmium content, over time. There is also little knowledge about how exposure to cadmium-polluted soils influences shell growth and architecture. In this context, we examined cadmium accumulation in the hepatopancreas and shell of juvenile Cantareus aspersus exposed to elevating high levels of cadmium in soil. Also, the toxicity of cadmium to snails was assessed using a range of conchological endpoints, including shell height, width, volume, allometry and integrity. Test snails, aged three months, were reared under semi-field conditions, fed an uncontaminated diet and exposed first, for a period of 30 days, to a series of soil cadmium concentrations, and then, for a second period of 30 days, to soils with higher cadmium content. Cadmium showed a dose-dependent accumulation in both the hepatopancreas and shell. The kinetics of cadmium retention in the hepatopancreas of snails previously exposed to cadmium-spiked soils was significantly influenced by a new exposure event. The shell was not a relevant bioaccumulator for soil cadmium. Under the present experimental conditions, only high cadmium exposure significantly affected either the shell growth or snail survival. There was no consistent effect on shell allometry, but the shell integrity, especially in rapidly growing parts, appeared to be affected by high cadmium exposure. Our results attest to the value of hepatopancreas for describing cadmium retention in land snails and to the difficulty of using conchological parameters in field surveys for estimating the environmental hazard of soil cadmium.
authors: Faculty of Animal Sciences and Biotechnologies, Banat's University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine "King Michael I of Romania" from Timisoara, Timisoara, Timis, Romania.
authors: Dragos V
authors: DV
authors: Nica
authors: Faculty of Chemistry-Biology-Geography, West University of Timisoara, Timisoara, Timis, Romania.
authors: Marioara Nicoleta
authors: MN
authors: Filimon
authors: Faculty of Food Processing Technology, Banat's University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine "King Michael I of Romania" from Timisoara, Timisoara, Timis, Romania.
authors: Despina-Maria
authors: DM
authors: Bordean
authors: Faculty of Agriculture, Banat's University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine "King Michael I of Romania" from Timisoara, Timisoara, Timis, Romania.
authors: Monica
authors: M
authors: Harmanescu
authors: Faculty of Food Processing Technology, Banat's University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine "King Michael I of Romania" from Timisoara, Timisoara, Timis, Romania.
authors: George Andrei
authors: GA
authors: Draghici
authors: Department of Cardiology, "Victor Babes" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Timisoara, Timis, Romania.
authors: Simona
authors: S
authors: Dragan
authors: Faculty of Food Processing Technology, Banat's University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine "King Michael I of Romania" from Timisoara, Timisoara, Timis, Romania.
authors: Iosif I
authors: II
authors: Gergen
mesh_terms: D065567:Absorption, Physiological; D060105:Animal Shells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D002104:Cadmium / Q000493:pharmacokinetics* / Q000633:toxicity; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D006372:Helix, Snails / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D043143:Hepatopancreas / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000493:pharmacokinetics* / Q000633:toxicity
chemical_list: D012989:Soil Pollutants; D002104:Cadmium