Effects of ocean acidification on trace element accumulation in the early-life stages of squid Loligo vulgaris

The anthropogenic release of carbon dioxide (CO(2)) into the atmosphere leads to an increase in the CO(2) partial pressure (pCO(2)) in the ocean, which may reach 950 μatm by the end of the 21st century. The resulting hypercapnia (high pCO(2)) and decreasing pH ("ocean acidification") are expected to have appreciable effects on water-breathing organisms, especially on their early-life stages. For organisms like squid that lay their eggs in coastal areas where the embryo and then paralarva are also exposed to metal contamination, there is a need for information on how ocean acidification may influence trace element bioaccumulation during their development. In this study, we investigated the effects of enhanced levels of pCO(2) (380, 850 and 1500 μatm corresponding to pH(T) of 8.1, 7.85 and 7.60) on the accumulation of dissolved (110m)Ag, (109)Cd, (57)Co, (203)Hg, (54)Mn and (65)Zn radiotracers in the whole egg strand and in the different compartments of the egg of Loligo vulgaris during the embryonic development and also in hatchlings during their first days of paralarval life. Retention properties of the eggshell for (110m)Ag, (203)Hg and (65)Zn were affected by the pCO(2) treatments. In the embryo, increasing seawater pCO(2) enhanced the uptake of both (110m)Ag and (65)Zn while (203)Hg showed a minimum concentration factor (CF) at the intermediate pCO(2). (65)Zn incorporation in statoliths also increased with increasing pCO(2). Conversely, uptake of (109)Cd and (54)Mn in the embryo decreased as a function of increasing pCO(2). Only the accumulation of (57)Co in embryos was not affected by increasing pCO(2). In paralarvae, the CF of (110m)Ag increased with increasing pCO(2), whereas the (57)Co CF was reduced at the highest pCO(2) and (203)Hg showed a maximal uptake rate at the intermediate pCO(2). (54)Mn and (65)Zn accumulation in paralarvae were not significantly modified by hypercapnic conditions. Our results suggest a combined effect of pH on the adsorption and protective properties of the eggshell and of hypercapnia on the metabolism of embryo and paralarvae, both causing changes to the accumulation of metals in the tissues of L. vulgaris.

Differential bioaccumulation behaviour of Ag and Cd during the early development of the cuttlefish Sepia officinalis

Cuttlefish eggs were exposed to background concentrations of dissolved Ag and Cd, using the radiotracers (110m)Ag and (109)Cd. At different time of the embryonic development (50 days), some eggs were placed in non-contaminating conditions. During the experiment, the uptake and depuration kinetics, and distribution of these metals among the egg compartments (i.e. eggshell, vitellus, peri-vitelline fluid and embryo) were assessed. In parallel, experiments were conducted with sub-lethal concentrations of stable Ag and Cd (2 and 1 microgl(-1), respectively) to compare the metal behaviour at higher concentrations. From the spawning date up to 1 month of development, both metals were taken up efficiently by the eggs, reaching load/concentration ratio (LCR) of 1059+/-75 and 239+/-22 for (110m)Ag and (109)Cd, respectively. From this time onwards, (110m)Ag activity continued to increase in eggs, whereas (109)Cd kinetics displayed a significant decrease. Whatever the developmental stage, Cd was mainly associated with the eggshell all along the exposure experiment. In addition, both stable Cd concentrations and (109)Cd LCR remained low in the embryo all along the embryonic development, indicating that the eggshell acted as an efficient shield against the penetration of this metal. In contrast, (110m)Ag passed through the eggshell from day 30 onwards and was then accumulated in the embryo, which contained more than 40% of the whole egg metal burden at the end of the exposure period. In depuration conditions, it is noteworthy that Ag continued to accumulate in the embryo indicating translocation processes from the eggshell and a high affinity of the metal for the embryo tissues. Overall our results showed that at day 30 of the embryonic development the cuttlefish eggshell becomes permeable to Ag but not to Cd. Exposure to stable metals confirmed the saturation capacities of the eggshell for Cd and the Ag penetration properties.

Allometric relationships in the bioconcentration of heavy metals by the edible tropical clam Gafrarium tumidum

Although metal contamination is a problem of major concern in the lagoon of New Caledonia due to intense mining activities conducted on land, very little is known on the metal ecotoxicology of local marine organisms. The clam Gafrarium tumidum was investigated to assess its usefulness as a bioindicator species of metal contamination in this lagoon. More particularly, allometric relationships between metal accumulation and clam size were determined for five common metals in New Caledonian lagoon waters (Cd, Cr, Co, Zn and Ag) using a highly sensitive radiotracer technique. Experimental results showed that allometric relationships were dependent on the element and on the body compartment considered. As a rule, allometric relationships of metal concentration factor were more pronounced in shell than in soft parts. Significant relationships with clam size for Cd, Cr, Co and Zn followed inverse power functions. In contrast, the degree of Ag bioaccumulation was positively correlated with size. In view of the literature on Ag in bivalves, the latter observation suggests the occurrence of a specific detoxification mechanism (sequestration) that would be more efficient in old individuals. Overall, the experimental results indicate that the use of G. tumidum as a bioindicator in monitoring programmes requires selecting individuals of a specific size range in order to obtain comparable information about ambient metal levels. Since the size effect is greatest among smaller individuals, it is recommended to select clams with a shell width greater than 35 mm.

Bioaccumulation of PCBs in the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus: seawater and food exposures to a 14C-radiolabelled congener (PCB#153)

Adult Paracentrotus lividus were exposed to a 14C-labelled PCB congener (PCB#153) using two different exposure modes: (1) the surrounding sea water and (2) the food (viz. the phanerogam Posidonia oceanica and the brown alga Taonia atomaria). Uptake kinetics from water and loss kinetics after single feeding were followed in four body compartments of the sea urchins (body wall, spines, gut and gonads). Results indicate that PCB bioaccumulation in P. lividus varies from one body compartment to another, with the exposure mode and the nature of the food. The echinoids accumulate PCB#153 more efficiently when exposed via water than via the food (the transfer efficiency is higher by one order of magnitude). Target body compartments of PCB#153 were found to be body wall and spines when individuals were exposed via water, and gut when they were exposed via food. It is concluded that P. lividus is an efficient bioaccumulator of PCB and that it could be considered as an interesting indicator for monitoring PCB contamination in the marine environment.

Bioaccumulation of PCBs in the cuttlefish Sepia officinalis from seawater, sediment and food pathways

The cuttlefish Sepia officinalis was selected as a model cephalopod to study PCB bioaccumulation via seawater, sediments and food. Newly hatched, juvenile cuttlefish were exposed for 17 days to environmentally realistic concentrations of (14)C-labeled 2,2',4,4',5,5'-hexachlorobiphenyl (PCB#153) (18 ng PCB l(-1) seawater; 30 ng PCB g(-1) dry wt sediments; Artemia salina exposed to 18 ng PCB l(-1) seawater). Accumulation of PCB#153 was followed in three body compartments: digestive gland, cuttlebone and the combined remaining tissues. Results showed that (1) uptake kinetics were source- and body compartment-dependent, (2) for each body compartment, the accumulation was far greater when S. officinalis was exposed via seawater, (3) the cuttlebone accumulated little of the contaminant regardless of the source, and (4) the PCB congener showed a similar distribution pattern among the different body compartments following exposure to contaminated seawater, sediment or food with the lowest concentrations in the cuttlebone and the highest in the remaining tissues. The use of radiotracer techniques allowed delineating PCB kinetics in small whole organisms as well as in their separate tissues. The results underscore the enhanced ability of cephalopods to concentrate organic pollutants such as PCBs, and raise the question of potential risk to their predators in contaminated areas.

Relative importance of dissolved and food pathways for lead contamination in shrimp

The relative importance of dissolved and food pathways and the influence of food type in the bioaccumulation and retention of lead in the shrimp Palaemonetes varians were examined using a radiotracer method. Shrimp were exposed to 210Pb-labelled seawater or fed two types of 210Pb-labelled food, viz. mussels or worms. The amount of radiotracer accumulated by shrimp was examined over a 7-day period, followed by a 1-month and a 7-day depuration period for the dissolved and food source, respectively. Steady state in the uptake was reached after 2 days exposure to dissolved lead, with a resultant estimated concentration factor of 98+/-3. Transfer factors following ingestion of contaminated mussels and worms were lower than unity for both food types, with lead transfer from worms being significantly higher than that from mussels. Accumulation of dissolved Pb by shrimp was found to occur mainly through adsorption on the exoskeleton with a minor accumulation in the internal tissues probably resulting from the intake of seawater for osmoregulation. In contrast, lead taken up from contaminated food was readily absorbed and bound in the internal tissues of P. varians. Although the transfer of lead to P. varians through the ingestion of contaminated food was low (TF<1%), it still represented 4 to 8% of the lead content in the prey which is a significant additional contribution of lead to the shrimp body burden. Independent of food type, following ingestion of contaminated food, approximately 23-27% of total lead accumulated in shrimp was located in the edible parts (e.g. muscle). Therefore, the food pathway is suggested to be a significant contributor to the lead transfer to humans through ingestion of contaminated shrimp. After exposure to contaminated food, lead loss kinetics were described by a two-component model, whereas Pb loss following direct uptake from seawater was best described by a three-component model. The additional compartment representing 64% of total Pb retained and characterized by a turnover<10 min, corresponded to lead weakly adsorbed on the exoskeleton and incorporated in the hepatopancreas. Nevertheless, a significant fraction of lead accumulated from the dissolved (2%) and food (52-57%) pathways remained irreversibly retained in the tissues, suggesting that this organism could also serve as an effective long-term bioindicator of lead contamination in marine waters.

Effects of PCBs on reactive oxygen species (ROS) production by the immune cells of Paracentrotus lividus (Echinodermata)

The impact of four PCB congeners: 3,3',4,4'-tetrachlorobiphenyl (IUPAC congener #77), 3,3',4,4',5-pentachlorobiphenyl (IUPAC #126), 2,2',4,4',5,5'-hexachlorobiphenyl (IUPAC #153) and 3,3',4,4',5,5'-hexachlorobiphenyl (IUPAC #169) was investigated on the reactive oxygen species (ROS) production by coelomocytes of the echinoid Paracentrotus lividus, an important species in marine benthic ecosystems. PCBs were found to increase ROS production and to delay the time of peak production. These effects were stronger on bacteria-stimulated cells and were congener-specific: coplanar congeners (#77, 126 and 169) had more effect than the non-coplanar PCB #153. Among coplanar congeners, PCB #169 showed dose-dependent effects whereas PCB #77 and 126 were more toxic at high and low doses, respectively. The relative immunotoxicity of the different PCB congeners is discussed in the light of their structural properties and biological affinities.