Interactions of Cd and Cu in anaerobic estuarine sediments. II. Bioavailability, body burdens and respiration effects as related to geochemical partitioning

Abstract

Abstract The relationship between Cd and Cu distribution in sediment geochemical fractions and their bioavailability was studied. A fine-sandy textured estuarine sediment was treated with all combinations of 0, 2.5, and 5 mg/kg Cd and 0, 12, and 25 mg/kg Cu using the chloride salts of each metal. Grass shrimp (Palaemonetes pugio), blue mussel (Mytilus edulis), and hard clam (Mercenaria mercenaria) were exposed to the treated sediments in aquaria with 20 ppt artificial seawater for 14 d. Sediments were sequentially extracted before and after organism exposure to determine the exchangeable, easily reducible, organic-sulfide, moderately reducible, and acid extractable phases. Low mortalities were observed for all organism types and none were attributable to any of the treatments. The Cd and Cu concentrations in the easily reducible and organic-sulfide phases were found to be significantly related to the bio-availability of these metals. The most highly significant relationship was established between Cd in the easily reducible phase and body burden of Cd in the blue mussel. Notable interactions were found between Cd and Cu in some of the geochemical phases, body burdens, and respiration rates. Metal uptake, respiration, and interactions were highly dependent on the test species. A significant correlation was found between increased body burden and depressed respiration for Cd but not for Cu. Multiple regression models are used to describe these relationships. It appears that the interactive responses in the organisms are driven primarily by the sediment geochemical effects and mediated by individual organism processes. These results underscore the necessity of multicomponent (multielement) studies in assessing the fate and effects of toxic elements in the environment.