Quantitative biomonitoring of PAHs using the barnes mussel (Elliptio complanata)

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2002

Publication Title

Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology

Volume

43

Issue

4

First Page

497

Last Page

504

Abstract

The elimination rate constants (k2) of nine polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were examined for the freshwater mussel Elliptio complanata. The concentrations of fluorene, phenanthrene, anthracene, fluoranthene, pyrene, benzo[a]anthracene, chrysene, benzo[b]fluoranthene, and indeno[1,2,3-c,d]-pyrene revealed a significant inverse relationship with time and their k2 values ranged from 0.10 to 0.22 day-1. The k2 values of these significantly cleared PAHs were similar to k2 values observed for nonmetabolized organochlorines in mussels previously reported in the literature. The inverse relationship between k2 and Kow provides evidence that the nine PAHs were being passively eliminated from the mussels and that they can be used to calibrate the mussel as a quantitative biomonitor. A general expression relating elimination rate constants and chemical Kow is derived for hydrophobic contaminants in E. complanata. The k2 versus log Kow regression equation for mussels developed herein was similar to other studies documenting the elimination of PCBs and PAHs in a number of bivalve species.

DOI

10.1007/s00244-002-1153-z

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