ACCUMULATION OF COPPER, ZINC, CADMIUM AND LEAD FROM 2 CONTAMINATED SEDIMENTS BY 3 MARINE-INVERTEBRATES - A LABORATORY STUDY

Ocean disposal of dredged estuarine sediments can result in the release of toxic constituents to the aquatic environment which, in turn, may lead to the accumulation of some of the constituents in aquatic organisms. Animals from areas with contaminated sediments have been shown in some cases to contain high levels of trace metals. In other cases, the tissue levels of contaminants were relatively constant regardless of the metal contents of the sediments. In an extensive laboratory study, J. W. Neff et al. found that, out of 136 combinations (3 sediments, 5 invertebrates, 8 heavy metals and 3 salinities), only 36% of the combinations demonstrated a statistically significant relationship between heavy metal concentrations in the sediment and in the tissues of the exposed animals. The present paper describes a study of the uptake of copper, zinc, cadmium and lead from natural, highly contaminated sediments by three marine invertebrates: Nereis virens, Macoma balthica and Crangon septemspinosa. Refs.