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General Session 4: Marine environment, ecosystem & sustainability |
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Modeling oyster metal bioaccumulation in a contaminated estuary: A Bayesian approach
Monday 9th @ 1505-1525
Room 1
Qiao-Guo Tan* , Center for Marine Environmental Chemistry and Toxicology (CMECT), College of the Environment and Ecology, Xiamen University
Weitao Zhou, College of the Environment and Ecology, Xiamen University
Wen-Xiong Wang, Division of Life Science, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
Presenter Email: tanqg@xmu.edu.cn
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| Metal contamination is a major problem in many estuarine waters. Understanding and predicting metal accumulation in estuarine organisms are of particular significance for assessing and managing the associated ecological risks. Toxicokinetic (TK) models are convenient and effective tools for this purpose. However, obtaining TK parameter values with enough predictive power are often a challenge for the real estuarine environment. Currently, TK parameters are usually measured in laboratory under well controlled conditions, e.g., constant metal concentration, salinity and pH. Using such parameter values for the complex estuarine waters with dynamic physico-chemical conditions are often proved to be unsuccessful. In this study, we measured the TK parameters for seven metals (i.e., Cr, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd and Pb) using oysters transplanted into a real estuarine environment (i.e., Jiulong River Estuary) contaminated by multiple metals. During the 48-d experiment, oyster, water and suspended solid samples were collected every 3 d. The TK parameters were estimated using a Bayesian method based on the metal accumulation in the oysters and the metal concentrations measured in the water and suspended solids. It was revealed that water was the major route of the bioaccumulation of Cr, Ni, Cu, and Cd; whereas particles were the major route of Pb bioaccumulation. For Co and Zn, both routes were equally important. The models were further validated by predicting metal bioaccumulation in oysters transplanted to another site in the estuary. Almost all predictions fell within 2 fold of the observed concentrations. The model developed in this study can be used in the management of metal risks in Jiulong River Estuary, while the method can be extrapolated to other estuarine organisms and estuaries elsewhere. |
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