Using the Amphipod Hyale Nigra to Assess the Quality of Marine Sediments

• Main Authors: Passarelli MC (Author), Cesar A (Author), Abessa DMS (Author)
• Format: Book
• Published: Annals of Limnology and Oceanography - Peertechz Publications, 2017-11-18.
• Subjects: Research Article
• Online Access: Connect to this object online.

<p>Few species are standardized and have been used as test organisms around the world in<br>ecotoxicological assays. In the case of sediment assessment, there are only two amphipod species<br>(Tiburonella viscana and Grandidierella bonnieroides) standardized protocols for toxicity test in South<br>Atlantic region.In order to evaluate the possibility of using the epibenthic marine amphipod Hyale nigra<br>in toxicity tests, a sensitivity test using spiked sediment method was applied, with cadmium chloride<br>as a reference toxicant (CdCl2). Tests with environmental samples were performed to validate the test<br>organisms. The samples were taken from Santos Estuary and Bay in state of Sao Paulo, Brazil. The<br>historical toxicity and contamination are mentioned in the literature. The results obtained in the spiked<br>sediment tests showed little variation in the sensitivity of Hyale nigra amphipod with a mean LC50 value<br>of 5.73 mg.L-1 (1.51 mg.L-1 - 8.75 mg.L-1). In the tests with environmental samples, the results obtained<br>were similar to those found in the literature regarding this sampling area. This study demonstrates the<br>potential of Hyale nigra amphipod as a test organism in toxicity tests, once that the specie is sensitive and<br>its results were similar to those reported in the literature on other species of amphipods that are already<br>used in ecotoxicological studies.<br></p>