Morphologic and growth responses in Chironomus tentans to arsenic exposure

Laboratory bioassays consisting of sediments spiked with three concentrations (30, 130, and 260 microg g-1 As dry wt) of arsenic (As+3) were used to assess morphologic responses and growth in Chironomus tentans larvae. Chironomid larvae were raised in contaminated sediments from egg stage to emergence, and mouthpart abnormalities, larval length, and larval head width were used as end points to determine differences between metal-spiked and control specimens. C. tentans exhibited significantly higher mouthpart deformity proportions, smaller body sizes, smaller head widths, and slower development than control larvae. Our results demonstrate a dose-response relationship between As and mentum deformities in C. tentans. However, the proportion of deformed larvae did not increase with time in the treatment tanks. Results demonstrate that As induces mouthpart abnormalities at various concentrations. This research provides more support for the use of chironomid abnormalities as a tool for the assessment of heavy-metal pollution in aquatic systems.