Heavy metal concentrations in Cipangopaludina chinensis (Reeve, 1863) and relationships with sediments in Saint-Augustin Lake, Québec City (Qc, Canada)

¹ CNR Institute of Ecosystem Study, Largo Tonolli 50, 28922 Verbania Pallanza, Italy
² Civil Engineering Departement, Laval University, Pavillon Adrien Pouliot Building, Avenue de la Médecine, Québec, Canada
³ Division Écotoxicologie et Évaluation du Risque, Centre d'Expertise en analyse environnementale du Québec, Ministère du Développement Durable, de l'Environnement et des Parcs, Complexe Scientifique, 2700 rue Einstein, Bureau E-2-220, Ste-Foy (Québec), G1P 3W8 Canada
⁴ Centre d'Expertise en analyse environnementale du Québec, Direction de l'analyse et de l'étude de la qualité du milieu, 2700 rue Einstein, Ste-Foy (Québec), G1P-3W8 Canada

^* Corresponding author. o.tornimbeni@ise.cnr.it

Received: 3 August 2012
Accepted: 20 December 2012

Abstract

Saint-Augustin Lake is an urban lake in Québec, Canada that has been subjected to long periods of direct human impact, mainly due to agricultural and urban activities, with great changes in trophic status and chemistry occurring within the last few decades. In 2009, during an examination of the lake bottom substrate, the presence of the invasive species Cipangopaludina chinensis (Reeve, 1863) was found on floor bottom sediments. The gastropods soft tissues were mineralized and analyzed by ICP-OES. The purpose of this study was to estimate concentrations of heavy metals in C. chinensis, describing the relations of these values with the sediment metal. In gastropod soft tissues the overall common trend in the heavy metal concentrations was revealed in the following order: Fe>Mn>Zn>Cu>As>Ni>Pb>Cd>Cr. Biota-sediment accumulation factors (BSAFs) have shown that C. chinensis cannot be used as a bioindicator of heavy metal pollution and exposure in the Canadian lakes where it is present. In fact, while the sediments of Saint-Augustin Lake are characterized by high metal concentrations, C. chinensis does not have high bioaccumulation factors (BSAFs <1.0). By literature comparison with other aquatic organisms in polluted ecosystems at different latitudes it was possible to affirm that the concentrations of Fe, Mn and Zn in C. chinensis tissues are considerable if compared with these sites.