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Toxicity of cadmium to six species in two genera of crayfish and the effect of cadmium on molting success
Author(s) -
Wigginton Andrew J.,
Birge Wesley J.
Publication year - 2007
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 - 10.1897/06-186r.1
Subject(s) - crayfish , procambarus clarkii , population , cadmium , acute toxicity , juvenile , biology , toxicology , toxicity , zoology , veterinary medicine , chemistry , ecology , medicine , environmental health , organic chemistry
Abstract Nine acute (96‐h) toxicity tests were conducted on six species of crayfish (Cambaridae). Six tests focused on adults, and three tests examined juveniles. Lethal concentration to 50% of a population (LC50) and lethal concentration to 10% of a population (LC10) values, respectively, for the adults of individual test species were as follows: Orconectes juvenilis , 2.44 and 0.623 mg Cd/L; Orconectes placidus , 0.487 and 0.092 mg Cd/L; Orconectes virilis , 3.30 and 0.947 mg Cd/L; Procambarus acutus , 0.368 and 0.048 mg Cd/L; Procambarus alleni , 3.07 and 0.386 mg Cd/L; and Procambarus clarkii , 2.66 and 0.486 mg Cd/L. The Orconectes LC50 genus mean acute value (GMAV) was 1.57 mg Cd/L, whereas the LC50 GMAV for Procambarus was 1.44 mg Cd/L. The LC10 GMAVs were 0.379 and 0.208 mg Cd/L, respectively. Family mean acute values (FMAVs) also were calculated for the Cambaridae using all species data (LC50, 1.51 mg Cd/L; LC10, 0.281 mg Cd/L). For tests with juvenile crayfish, the LC50 and LC10 values, respectively, were as follows: O. juvenilis , 0.060 and 0.014 mg Cd/L; O. placidus , 0.037 and 0.002 mg Cd/L; and P. clarkii , 0.624 and 0.283 mg Cd/L. The GMAVs were calculated for juvenile Orconectes (LC50, 0.047 mg Cd/L; LC10, 0.005 mg Cd/L). Additionally, FMAVs were calculated for juvenile crayfish (LC50, 0.111 mg Cd/L; LC10, 0.020 mg Cd/L). Crayfish sensitivity to Cd varied by a factor of nine among species tested as adults and by a factor of 17 among species tested as juveniles. Molting was a sensitive life stage for crayfish. Most individuals that molted shortly before or during exposure to Cd died, whereas all controls that molted in the adult assays survived. Because molting is a sensitive, recurring life‐cycle event, molting individuals should be included in toxicological analysis despite some contrary recommendations.