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Uptake of chlordane by a deposit‐feeding bivalve: Does the depth of sediment contamination make a difference?
Author(s) -
Wilcock Robert J.,
Pridmore Rick D.,
Northcott Grant L.,
Hewitt Judi E.,
Thrush Simon F.,
Cummings Vonda J.
Publication year - 1994
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.5620130916
Subject(s) - chlordane , sediment , seawater , contamination , environmental chemistry , intertidal zone , bivalvia , biology , ecology , mollusca , chemistry , pesticide , paleontology
Intertidal sediment was treated with technical chlordane (11 ppb) and combined with untreated natural sediment in small containers to produce a range of contaminant depth profiles (viz, top 2 cm [only] treated, all except the top 2 cm treated, all treated, all untreated) Adult specimens of Macomona liliana (a tellinid bivalve) were placed in some of the containers All of the containers were immersed in seawater and exposed to an artificial semidiurnal tidal regime over 5 d Approximately 24 to 36% of the applied chlordane was lost from the sediments presumably dissolved in the recirculating seawater Losses of chlordane were generally greater when shellfish were present, possibly through transport to the sediment surface and subsequent solubilization in seawater Macomona liliana accumulated the greatest concentration of chlordane (5,728 ppb lipid) from sediments having a uniform concentration of chlordane (7 ppb at the end of the experiment), whereas those in containers with either the top 2 cm treated or all but the top 2 cm treated, accumulated 3,617 and 2 756 ppb lipid, respectively The shellfish body burden accounted for only a small proportion (≤1%) of the total chlordane in each of the containers Chlordane depth profiles were not as well defined in the sediments having Macomona liliana, as those that did not These results indicate that Macomona liliana can assimilate organochlorines bound to sediments at depths below 2 cm, most probably by ingestion Animals constantly exposed to contaminated sediment accumulated more than those able to feed alternately on contaminated and uncontaminated sediments The ability of Macomona liliana to accumulate and depurate contaminants throughout the sediment profile may in crease the chances of more sensitive species being exposed to harmful concentrations