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. 2012:2012:125785.
doi: 10.1100/2012/125785. Epub 2012 Apr 24.

Toxicity of metals to a freshwater snail, Melanoides tuberculata

M Shuhaimi-Othman  1 , R Nur-Amalina, Y Nadzifah
Affiliations

Toxicity of metals to a freshwater snail, Melanoides tuberculata

M Shuhaimi-Othman et al. ScientificWorldJournal. 2012.

Abstract

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.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
The relationship between median lethal concentration (LC50) and exposure times for M. tuberculata.
Figure 2
Figure 2
The relationship between median lethal time (LT50) and exposure concentrations for M. tuberculata.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Bioconcentration of Cu, Cd, Zn, Pb, Ni, Fe, Al, and Mn (mean) in M. tuberculata soft tissues (μg g−1 dry weight) after a four-day exposure to different concentrations of Cu, Cd, Zn, Pb, Ni, Fe, Al, and Mn. Concentration factor (CF) is indicated at the top of each bar.
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