Lethal and sublethal toxicity of sediment-associated fluoranthene to benthic copepods: application of the critical-body-residue approach

摘要

Lethality occurs at tissue concentrations of organic contaminants acting via non-polar narcosis at about 2-8 mu mol (g wet wt.) super(-1) for most vertebrate and invertebrate species tested. The range of tissue concentrations for such compounds associated with sublethal effects has yet to be determined. During this study, the lethal and sublethal toxicity of the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) congener fluoranthene to benthic copepods was examined in sediment exposures. Mature female Schizopera knabeni and Coullana sp. were exposed to dosed sediment at concentrations ranging from 0 to 334 mu g (g dry wt.) super(-1) for 10 days. Copepod survival and reproductive output were related to the [ super(14)C]fluoranthene concentration in the external (sediment) and internal (tissues) media. In both copepod species, fluoranthene tissue concentrations were maximal at day 1 and remained relatively constant throughout the 10-day experiment.