PARENT SESSION

2Q - Online Biomonitoring
Poster Hall
8:30 AM - Wednesday, 30 April 2003
Chair: Gerhardt, A.¹, ¹

(WEP/163) Effects of Bioban on behaviour, stress proteins and survival of Corophium volutator (Crustacea: Amphipoda).

Gerhardt, A.¹, Kirkpatrick, A.², McKenna, M.², Dick, J.T.A.², Laming, P.², Berges, J.A.², ¹ LimCo International, Ibbenbueren, Germany² Queens University, Belfast, United Kingdom

ABSTRACT- This study investigated the effects of Bioban (10 to 180 mg/kg spiked sediment) on behaviour (reburial (3 h), locomotion in the Multispecies Freshwater Biomonitor, MFB (1 h), physiology (stress proteins, 48 h) and survival (10 d). First, the behavioural pattern of amphipods in water was recorded and characterised simultaneously by two methods 1) the MFB allowing for online quantitative recordings of movements and 2) manual recordings using a Psion II hand-held computer, programmed for different pre-set types of movements. Second, behavioural patterns of C. volutator in sediment chambers were compared to water chambers (48 h). Third, the 10-d LC₅₀ for C. volutator was determined as 121 mg/kg. All other experiments were performed at sublethal concentrations. Reburial was observed visually after 5, 10, 15 , 30 min., 1, 2 and 3 hrs 1) in Bioban spiked sediment and 2) in choice experiments (1 h). Additionally behavioural responses were measured with the MFB in choice chambers with water and Bioban spiked sediment (1 h). Stress proteins were measured by use of Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis. C. volutator showed locomotion and inactivity in the MFB, however the pre-set types of movements (walking, swimming, falling) could not be ditinguished. The MFB recorded locomotion and inactivity also in sediment-filled chambers, where no optical observation was possible. Locomotion increased significantly with increasing Bioban in the sediment, the organisms were more active in the water column than in the spiked sediment. This was supported by the reburial experiments, as more organisms were on the sediment surface at higher Bioban levels. At higher Bioban levels a new protein band at 34 kD was found, whereas 64kD was unique for control animals.

Key words: behaviour, Corophium volutator, Multispecies Freshwater Biomonitor, sediment toxicity