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Resuspended contaminated sediments cause sublethal stress to oysters: A biomarker differentiates total suspended solids and contaminant effects
Author(s) -
Edge Katelyn J.,
Dafforn Katherine A.,
Simpson Stuart L.,
Ringwood Amy H.,
Johnston Emma L.
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
environmental toxicology and chemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.1
H-Index - 171
eISSN - 1552-8618
pISSN - 0730-7268
DOI - 10.1002/etc.2929
Subject(s) - environmental chemistry , contamination , sediment , gill , pollutant , environmental science , chemistry , biology , ecology , fishery , paleontology , organic chemistry , fish <actinopterygii>
Resuspended contaminated sediments represent an important route of contaminant exposure for aquatic organisms. During resuspension events, filter‐feeding organisms are exposed to contaminants, in both the dissolved form (at the gills) and the particulate form (in the digestive system). In addition, these organisms must manage the physical stress associated with an increase in total suspended solids (TSS). To date, few studies have experimentally compared the contributions to biological stress of contaminated and clean suspended solids. The authors mixed field‐collected sediments (<63 μm) from clean and contaminated field sites to create 4 treatments of increasing metal concentrations. Sydney rock oysters were then exposed to sediment treatments at different TSS concentrations for 4 d, and cellular biomarkers (lysosomal membrane stability, lipid peroxidation, and glutathione) were measured to evaluate sublethal toxicity. Lysosomal membrane stability was the most sensitive biomarker for distinguishing effects from resuspended contaminated sediments, as increasing amounts of contaminated TSS increased lysosomal membrane destabilization. The authors' results illustrate the importance of considering contaminant exposures from resuspended sediments when assessing the toxicity of contaminants to aquatic organisms. Environ Toxicol Chem 2015;34:1345–1353. © 2015 SETAC