Quantitative Biomonitoring of PAHs Using the Barnes Mussel (Elliptio complanata)

Abstract

The elimination rate constants (k ₂) of nine polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were examined for the freshwater mussel Elliptio complanata. The concentrations of fluorene, phenanthrene, anthracene, fluoranthene, pyrene, benzo[a]anthracene, chrysene, benzo[b]fluoranthene, and indeno[1,2,3-c,d]pyrene revealed a significant inverse relationship with time and their k ₂ values ranged from 0.10 to 0.22 day⁻¹. The k ₂ values of these significantly cleared PAHs were similar to k ₂ values observed for nonmetabolized organochlorines in mussels previously reported in the literature. The inverse relationship between k ₂ and K _ow provides evidence that the nine PAHs were being passively eliminated from the mussels and that they can be used to calibrate the mussel as a quantitative biomonitor. A general expression relating elimination rate constants and chemical K _ow is derived for hydrophobic contaminants in E. complanata. The k ₂ versus log K _ow regression equation for mussels developed herein was similar to other studies documenting the elimination of PCBs and PAHs in a number of bivalve species.