Exposure-dose-response of Anadara trapezia to metal contaminated estuarine sediments: 3. Selenium spiked sediments

Selenium enters near shore marine environments from the activities of coal-fired power stations. Although selenium is an essential element, at elevated concentrations it can cause genotoxic damage. The relationship between selenium exposure dose and response was investigated in Anadara trapezia exposed to selenium spiked sediment (5 μg/g and 20 μg/g dry mass) for 56 days. A. trapezia reached an equilibrium selenium tissue concentration (2 μg/g and 10 μg/g respectively) by day 42. Gills had significantly more selenium than the hepatopancreas and haemolymph. Between 12 and 21% of accumulated selenium in the gill and hepatopancreas was detoxified and in the metal rich granule. Most of the biologically active selenium in both tissues was in the mitochondrial fraction. Glutathione peroxidase activity and mean total glutathione concentrations for selenium exposed organisms were not significantly different to controls. The ratio of reduced to oxidised glutathione and the total antioxidant capacity were significantly reduced in selenium exposed organisms compared to control organisms. Increased selenium exposure resulted in significant increases in lipid peroxidation, lysosomal destabilisation and an increased frequency of micronuclei. A significant exposure-dose-response relationship for A. trapezia exposed to selenium enriched sediments indicates that elevated sediment selenium concentrations can increased biologically active selenium burdens and cause impairment of cellular processes and cell integrity.