Monodonta turbinata(Born); toxicity and bio accumulation of Cu and Cu + Cr mixtures

The effects of copper and chromium are studied on the cosmopolite marine prosobranch Monodonta turbinata (Born). The influence of Cu and of the mixture Cu + Cr was tested by the determination of the LC50 (48 h), the LT50, the respiration and bioaccumulation rates. The tested concentrations of metals caused a significant reduction of the respiration rate of Monodonta. Cu accumulates progressively in the tissues of the prosobranch proportionally to the Cu concentrations of the tested media. In all experiments [LX50 (48 h), LT50, oxygen consumption and bioaccumulation] when Cu and Cr act jointly, an antagonism is observed: the mixtures caused less pronounced effects than Cu and Cr acting alone. Generally Monodonta was found to be much more sensitive to Cu than other benthic species.