Abstract
The effects of contaminated river water on the filtration rate of zebra mussels from a clean reference site were studied. After a 48-h exposure period to filtered water from the rivers Rhine, Meuse and Amstel (The Netherlands), the filtration rate was measured. It was demonstrated that water from contaminated locations inhibited the filtration rate. Inhibition was higher during low water levels in the rivers Rhine and Meuse than during high water levels, suggesting that contaminants are diluted during high water levels. It is concluded that the shortterm filtration assay with D. polymorpha can be used for assessing water quality.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bleeker, E. A. J., M. H. S. Kraak & C. Davids, 1992. Ecotoxicity of lead to the zebra mussel Dreissena polymorpha. Hydrobiol. Bull. 25: 233–236.
Canton, J. H., A. Buijze, R. P. Van den Dikkenberg, J. L. M. de Boer & R. C. C. Wegman, 1987. Onderzoek naar de mogelijke effecten van de in het IMP gestelde basiskwaliteit op een tweetal zoetwaterorganismen. RIVM rapport 718622001, National Institute of Public Health and Environmental Protection, Bilthoven, The Netherlands.
Coughlan, J., 1969. The estimation of filtering rate from the clearance of suspensions. Mar. Biol. 2: 356–358.
De Zwart, D. & A. Folkerts, 1990. Monitoring the toxicity of organic compounds dissolved in Rhine water. Hydrobiol. Bull. 24: 5–12.
Fisher, S. W., D. C. Gossiaux, K.A. Bruner & P. F. Landrum, 1993. Investigations of the toxicokinetics of hydrophobic contaminants in the zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha). In Zebra mussels: biology, impacts, and control, T. F. Nalepa and D. W. Schloesser (eds). Lewis Publishers, Boca Raton, U.S.A. pp. 465–490.
Karbe, L., N. Antonacopoulos & C. Schnier, 1975. The influence of water quality on accumulation of heavy metals in aquatic organisms. Verh. Int. Ver. Limnol. 19: 2092–2101.
Kraak, M. H. S., M. C. T. Scholten, W. H. N. Peeters & W. C. de Kock, 1991. Biomonitoring of heavy metals in the Western European rivers Rhine and Meuse using the freshwater mussel Dreissena polymorpha. Envir. Pollut. 74: 101–114.
Kraak, M. H. S., D. Lavy, W. H. M. Peeters & C. Davids, 1992. Chronic ecotoxicity of copper and cadmium to the zebra mussel Dreissena polymorpha. Arch. Envir. Contam. Toxicol. 23: 363–369.
Kramer, K. J. M., H. A. Jenner & D. de Zwart, 1989. The valve movements response of mussels: a tool in biological monitoring. Hydrobiologia 188/189: 433–443.
RIWA, 1993. Data base of the Cooperation of the Drinkwater Companies of the rivers Rijn and Meuse.
Slooff, W., 1983. Rijn, Lek, Waal, IJssel en uiterwaarden onder invloed van ingrepen en verontreinigingen. In Rijnwater in Nederland, G. P. Hekstra and W. Joenje (eds), Oecologische kring, Arnhem, The Netherlands, ISBN 9071040–01–1: 13–31.
Timmermans, K. R., B. van Hattum, W. Peeters & C. Davids, 1991. Trace metals in the benthic habitat of the Maarsseveen lake system, The Netherlands. Hydrobiol. Bull. 24: 153–164.
Van Hattum, B. van, G. Korthals. P. Leonardo, J. Visser, M. Smit & A. de Jongh, 1992. Biologische monitoring van PCB's in de oude venen. Rapport IVM, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Kraak, M.H.S., Kuipers, F., Schoon, H. et al. The filtration rate of the zebra mussel Dreissena polymorpha used for water quality assessment in Dutch rivers. Hydrobiologia 294, 13–16 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00017620
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00017620