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Ameliorating Effect of Chloride on Nitrite Toxicity to Freshwater Invertebrates with Different Physiology: a Comparative Study Between Amphipods and Planarians

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Abstract

High nitrite concentrations in freshwater ecosystems may cause toxicity to aquatic animals. These living organisms can take nitrite up from water through their chloride cells, subsequently suffering oxidation of their respiratory pigments (hemoglobin, hemocyanin). Because NO −2 and Cl− ions compete for the same active transport site, elevated chloride concentrations in the aquatic environment have the potential of reducing nitrite toxicity. Although this ameliorating effect is well documented in fish, it has been largely ignored in wild freshwater invertebrates. The aim of this study was to compare the ameliorating effect of chloride on nitrite toxicity to two species of freshwater invertebrates differing in physiology: Eulimnogammarus toletanus (amphipods) and Polycelis felina (planarians). The former species presents gills (with chloride cells) and respiratory pigments, whereas in the latter species these are absent. Test animals were exposed in triplicate for 168 h to a single nitrite concentration (5 ppm NO2-N for E. toletanus and 100 ppm NO2-N for P. felina) at four different environmental chloride concentrations (27.8, 58.3, 85.3, and 108.0 ppm Cl−). The number of dead animals and the number of affected individuals (i.e., number of dead plus inactive invertebrates) were monitored every day. LT50 (lethal time) and ET50 (effective time) were estimated for each species and each chloride concentration. LT50 and ET50 values increased with increases in the environmental chloride concentration, mainly in amphipods. Results clearly show that the ameliorating effect of chloride on nitrite toxicity was more significant in amphipods than in planarians, likely because of the absence of gills (with chloride cells) and respiratory pigments in P. felina. Additionally, this comparative study indicates that the ecological risk assessment of nitrite in freshwater ecosystems should take into account not only the most sensitive and key species in the communities, but also chloride levels in the aquatic environment.

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Acknowledgments

Funds for this research came from the former Ministry for Science and Technology (research project REN2001-1008/HID) in Spain. The University of Alcalá provided logistical support. Dr. Álvaro Alonso was supported by a predoctoral grant from the Council of Castilla-La Mancha and from University of Alcalá, and by a technician grant from the INIA. Currently, he is supported by a postdoctoral grant from the Spanish Ministry for Education and Science, and Dr. Julio A. Camargo is spending a sabbatical period at St. Cloud State University (Minnesota, USA), being supported by a grant (“programa movilidad”) from the current Spanish Ministry for Education and Science. We want to give our sincere gratitude to Drs. Pilar Castro and Neal J. Voelz for their comments and suggestions during the writing of the manuscript. Special thanks to Marcos de la Puente for his help in taxonomical identification. We also thank Andrés Bravo and Dr. Matt Wheeler for their help with the Ratio test.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Ecology, University of Alcalá, E-28871, Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain

    A. Alonso & J. A. Camargo

  2. Department of Aquatic Ecology and Water Quality Management, University of Wageningen, P.O. Box 8080, 6700, DD Wageningen, The Netherlands

    A. Alonso

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  1. A. Alonso
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  2. J. A. Camargo
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Correspondence to A. Alonso.

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Alonso, A., Camargo, J.A. Ameliorating Effect of Chloride on Nitrite Toxicity to Freshwater Invertebrates with Different Physiology: a Comparative Study Between Amphipods and Planarians. Arch Environ Contam Toxicol 54, 259–265 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00244-007-9034-0

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