ACCUMULATION AND REGULATION OF HEAVY-METALS BY THE INTERTIDAL SNAIL POLINICES-SORDIDUS

The gastropod Polinices sordidus was collected from an uncontaminated area in Quibray Bay, New South Wales, Australia, in 1990. The snails w ere exposed for 2 wk to polluted sediments collected from Port Kembla Harbour, Blackwattle Bay, Lake Illawarra, Lake Macquarie in New South Wales, Australia, and the Derwent River in Tasmania, Australia. Metal accumulation and regulation by this species were evaluated. Metal conc entrations in snail tissues and total, EDTA and HCl-extractable metals in the sediments were compared. Copper concentrations were extremely varied in snails exposed to the same sediment. This was not the case f or other metals tested. No accumulation of copper was found in snails exposed to different sediments. There was no zinc accumulation from se diments containing less then 10 mg Zn/g. P. sordidus could accumulate lead, manganese and iron from some of the sediments. Manganese concent rations in the snail tissues correlated with total, HCl-extractable an d, more significantly, EDTA-extractable Mn in the sediments. P. sordid us was not considered to be a good bioindicator of copper and zinc con tamination in sediments; however, this species could be used as an ind icator of lead and manganese contamination.