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Acute toxicity measured in the amphipod Ampelisca brevicornis after exposure to contaminated sediments from Spanish littoral

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Abstract

Sediment toxicity of different areas of Spanish littoral was evaluated using an internationally recommended 10 day acute toxicity test with the amphipod Ampelisca brevicornis. Sediment samples from Santander Bay (N Spain), Las Palmas of Gran Canaria (SW Spain), Algeciras Bay (S Spain) and Ría of Huelva (SW Spain) were collected and organic carbon, fines, metals Zn, Cd, Pb, Cu, Ni, Co and Hg, PAHs and PCBs were analyzed for their characterization. Significant toxic effects compared with control site (P < 0.05) were observed after exposure to the sediments from Las Palmas of Gran Canaria port, from 83.3% of the sites studied in Algeciras Bay and from Ría of Huelva. These effects were associated (P < 0.05) with PCBs and metals Zn, Cd, Pb and Cu in Ría of Huelva and to Ni and Co in the rest of sites. Chemical measurements were compared with international sediment quality guidelines and site-specific guidelines were derived.

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Acknowledgments

This study was part of the project INTEGRAL (CTM2005-07282-C03-01/TECNO), supported by the Spanish Ministry of Education and Science (MEC). Julia Ramos-Gómez work was funded by a MEC fellowship (FPU). The authors would like to thank the members of the CSIC, CIS and the University of Cantabria and Las Palmas for their cooperation. Special thanks are given to Camille and William for their invaluable help during the bioassay. The manuscript has been English edited by M Carmen Ramos Gómez.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. UNITWIN/UNESCO/WiCoP, Departamento de Química Física, Facultad de Ciencias del Mar y Ambientales, Universidad de Cádiz, Polígono Río San Pedro s/n, Puerto Real, Cádiz, 11510, Spain

    J. Ramos-Gómez & T. A. DelValls

  2. Instituto de Ciencias Marinas de Andalucía, Centro Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Polígono Río San Pedro s/n, Puerto Real, Cádiz, 11510, Spain

    M. L. Martín-Díaz

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  1. J. Ramos-Gómez
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  2. M. L. Martín-Díaz
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  3. T. A. DelValls
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Correspondence to J. Ramos-Gómez.

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Ramos-Gómez, J., Martín-Díaz, M.L. & DelValls, T.A. Acute toxicity measured in the amphipod Ampelisca brevicornis after exposure to contaminated sediments from Spanish littoral. Ecotoxicology 18, 1068–1076 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10646-009-0383-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10646-009-0383-5

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