SEDIMENT TOXICITY TESTING - A BIOASSAY APPROACH USING THE AMPHIPOD COROPHIUM VOLUTATOR AND THE POLYCHAETE ARENICOLA-MARINA

In this study, the amphipod Corophium volutator and the polychaete Are nicola marina were evaluated as test organisms for use in sediment tox icity bioassays by adapting standard protocols developed by the US Env ironmental Protection Agency (EPA) and US Army Corps of Engineers (COE ) (1991) and Thain et al. (1994). Although these species have begun to be used for the assessment of the toxicity of marine and estuarine se diments, the detailed ecotoxicologies of these species are not well do cumented. In particular, the effects of specific contaminants of known concentrations on these species in this bioassay context are not know n. Here, we report experiments carried out on both species using clean intertidal sediment contaminated with copper, zinc and cadmium. The r esults show clear dose-dependant effects of each metal on the survival and behaviour of both species, demonstrating the bioassay has conside rable potential. However, the toxicity of copper was quite different f or the two species and it is recommended that several taxa should be e mployed in such bioassays. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science BN.