Acute toxicity of Cd2+, Cr6+, and Ni2+ to the golden mussel Limnoperna fortunei (Dunker 1857)

Abstract

In this study we test the sensitivity of three sizes of golden mussel (Limnoperna fortunei), an introduced species in Argentina, to a 96-h exposure to Cd2+, Cr6+, and Ni2+. We also analysed the relative sensitivity of L. fortunei compared to other freshwater bivalve equivalent sensitivity data. The ANOVA results showed that both factors, heavy metal and size, had signifcant efects (p = 0.0013 and p = 0.0091, respectively) on the mortality of the golden mussel. Tukey’s test showed signifcant diferences for Cr6+ treatment and the smallest size class (7 mm ±1). The relative sensitivity analysis showed that LC50 values for the smallest size class of L. fortunei exposed to Ni2+ and Cd2+ were in the low range, with values of 11.40 mg/L and 12.65 mg/L, respectively. In the case of Cr6+ (1.66 mg/L), its LC50 was in the medium-low range of the freshwater bivalve sensitivity distribution.