Journal of Environmental Biology

Live algae as a vector candidate for hydrophobic polychlorinated biphenyls

translocation to bivalve filter feeders for laboratory toxicity test

Author Details

Qtae Jo

(Corresponding author)

East Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Gangwon - 210 861, Korea

e-mail: qtjo@nfrdi.go.kr

Su-Kyoung Kim

East Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Gangwon - 210 861, Korea

Chae Sung Lee

East Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Gangwon - 210 861, Korea

Pil Yong Lee?

East Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Gangwon - 210 861, Korea

Publication Data

Paper received:

04 March 2010

Revised received:

05 August 2010

Accepted:

24 September 2010

Abstract

Live algae carrying hydrophobic xenobiotics can be an effective vector candidate for the chemical translocation to filter feeders in the laboratory toxicity test, but information on their application is lacking. Time-course uptake and elimination of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) (0, 50, 100, and 500 ng g^-1) by two key algal foods, Isochrysis galbana and Tetraselmis suecica, were measured. Both of the algae achieved maximum concentration in an hour after PCBs exposure regardless the chemical concentrations in our time-course measurements (0, 1, 5, 10, 24, 48 and 72 hrs). Once achieved the maximum concentration, the algae shortly exhibited elimination or eliminating tendency depending on the chemical concentrations. Algae exposed to the chemical for 1 and 24 hrs (hereafter 1 and 24 hr vectors, respectively) were then evaluated as a chemical translocation vector by feeding test to larval and spat Crassostrea gigas. In the feeding test the 24 hr vector, which contained lower chemicals than the 1-hr vector, appeared to be more damaging the early lives of the oyster. This was particularly significant for vectors of higher PCBs (p<0.05), probably due to algal reduction in food value by the prolonged chemical stress. These findings imply that 1 hr exposure is long enough for a generation of algal vector for laboratory toxicity test, minimizing data error resulted from reduction in food value by longer chemical stress.

Key words

Live algae, PCBs vector, Toxicity test, Bivalve? ?

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