Effects of Temperature and Exposure Duration on Transfer of Cadmium Between Naturally Contaminated Sediments and...

Burrowing mayfly nymphs (Hexagenia rigida) were exposed to naturally contaminated sediments collected from two stations along a metallic pollution gradient on the Lot River (France) using indoor microcosms. Bioaccumulation kinetics (0, 20, 40, and 60 days) of cadmium (Cd) and the combined effects of temperature (12, 18, and 24 degreesC) were evaluated by a complete experimental design, jointly with the analysis of growth rate of the nymphs, bioturbation, and total and dissolved Cd concentrations in the water column. Cadmium was transferred from the sediment to the organisms with uptake influenced by contamination levels of the sediments, exposure duration, and temperature. The two complementary criteria-Cd concentration and burden in the nymphs-clearly demonstrate the importance of the growth dilution on the quantification of Cd bioaccumulation at the whole organism level.