Modeling metal bioaccumulation in the invasive mussels Dreissena polymorpha and Dreissena rostriformis bugensis in the rivers Rhine and Meuse

The metal‐specific covalent index and the species‐specific size‐based filtration rate were integrated into a biokinetic model estimating metal bioaccumulation in mussels from the dissolved phase and phytoplankton. The model was validated for zebra ( Dreissena polymorpha ) and quagga ( Dreissena rostriformis bugensis ) mussels in the rivers Rhine and Meuse, the Netherlands. The model performed well in predicting tissue concentrations in different‐sized zebra mussels from various sampling sites for 55 Mn, 56 Fe, 59 Co, 60 Ni, 82 Se, 111 Cd, 118 Sn, and 208 Pb ( r 2  = 0.71–0.99). Performance for 52 Cr, 63 Cu, 66 Zn, 68 Zn, and 112 Cd was moderate ( r 2  < 0.20). In quagga mussels, approximately 73 to 94% of the variability in concentrations of 82 Se, 111 Cd, 112 Cd, and 208 Pb was explained by the model ( r 2  = 0.73–0.94), followed by 52 Cr, 55 Mn, 56 Fe, 60 Ni, and 63 Cu ( r 2  = 0.48–0.61). Additionally, in both zebra and quagga mussels, average modeled concentrations were within approximately one order of magnitude of the measured values. In particular, in zebra mussels, estimations of 60 Ni and 82 Se concentrations were equal to 51 and 76% of the measurements, respectively. Higher deviations were observed for 52 Cr, 59 Co, 55 Mn, 56 Fe, 111 Cd, 63 Cu, and 112 Cd (underestimation), and 66 Zn, 68 Zn, 208 Pb, and 118 Sn (overestimation). For quagga mussels, modeled concentrations of 66 Zn and 68 Zn differed approximately 14% from the measured levels. Differences between predictions and measurements were higher for other metals. Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 2011;30:2825–2830. © 2011 SETAC