Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Hormetic Effects of Heavy Metals in Aquatic Snails: Is a Little Bit of Pollution Good?

  • Original Contribution
  • Published:
EcoHealth Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Hormesis is the term to describe a stimulatory effects associated with a low dose of a potentially toxic substance or stress. We had anecdotal evidence of hormetic effects in some of our previous experiments concerning the influence of heavy metals on aquatic snail growth and recruitment. We therefore repeated a version of an earlier experiment but this time we expanded our low-dose treatments and increased our sample size. We also explored if metals had a hormetic effect on algae periphyton. We raised snails in outdoor mini-ecosystems containing lead, zinc, and cadmium-contaminated soil from an Environmental Protection Agency Superfund site in the Silver Valley of northern Idaho. The snails came from two sites. One population (Physella columbiana) has evolved for 120 years in the presence of heavy metals and one (Lymnaea palustris) has not. We found that P. columbiana exhibited hormesis with snails exposed to small amounts of metals exhibiting more reproduction and growth than snails not exposed to metals. Naturally occurring Oscillatoria algae also exhibited a hormetic effect of heavy metals but L. palustris did not display hormesis. Large doses negatively impacted all three species. Overall the levels of cadmium, lead, and zinc measured in the tissues of the snails were inversely correlated to the number of snails recruited into the tub populations. Only in comparisons of the lowest metal treatment to the control treatment is a positive effect detected. Indirect effects on competing species of snails, periphyton, and also fishermen, may be less favorable.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Figure 1.
Figure 2.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Axelrod D, Burns K, Davis D, von Larebeke N (2004) “Hormesis”–an inappropriate extrapolation from the specific to the universal. International Journal of Occupational and Environmental Health 10:335–339

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Azeez PA, Banerjee DK (1991) Nickel uptake and toxicity in cyanobacteria. Toxicological and Environmental Chemistry 30:43–50

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Brussell DE (2005) Medicinal plants of Mt. Pelion, Greece. Economic Botany 58:s174–s202

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Calabrese EJ, Baldwin LA (1997) The dose determines the stimulation (and poison): development of a chemical hormesis database. International Journal of Toxicology 16:545–560

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Calabrese EJ, Baldwin LA (2000) The marginalization of hormesis. Human and Experimental Toxicology 19:32–40

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Calabrese EJ, Baldwin LA (2001) Hormesis: U-shaped dose response and their centrality in toxicology. Trends in Pharmacological Sciences 22:285–291

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Calabrese EJ, Baldwin LA (2003) Hormesis: the dose-response revolution. Annual Review of Pharmacology and Toxicology 43:175–197

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Calabrese EJ, Baldwin LA, Holland CD (1999) Hormesis: a highly generalizable and reproducible phenomenon with important implications for risk assessment. Risk Analyses 19:261–281

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Carlisle DM, Clements WH (2003) Growth and secondary production of aquatic insects along a gradient of Zn contamination in Rocky Mountain streams. Journal of the North American Benthological Society: 22:582–597

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Correia AD, Costa FO, Neuparth T, Diniz ME, Costa MH (2001) Sub-lethal effects of copper-spiked sediments on the marine amphipod Gammarus locusta: evidence of hormesis? Ecotoxicology and Environmental Restoration 4:32–38

    Google Scholar 

  • Cypser JR, Johnson TE (2002) Multiple stressors in Caenorhabditis elegans induce stress hormesis and extended longevity. The Journals of Gerontology. Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences 57:B109–B114

    Google Scholar 

  • Damelin LH, Vokes S, Whitcutt JM, Damelin SB, Alexander JJ (2000) Hormesis: a stress response in cells exposed to low levels of heavy metals. Human and Experimental Toxicology 19:420–430

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Davis JM, Svendsgaard DJ (1990) U-shaped dose-response curves: their occurrence and implications for risk assessment. Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health 30:71–83

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Deleebeeck NME, De Schamphelaere KAC, Janssen CR (2004) The effect of pH on the toxicity of Ni to the green alga Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata. European Chemical Bureau. Available: http://www.ecb.jrc.it/classlab/2695a67_IND_nickel.pdf

  • Ellman LM, Sunstein CR (2004) Hormesis, the precautionary principle, and legal regulation. Human and Experimental Toxicology 23:601–611

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gould E, Fowler BA, Engel DW (1989) Metal-exposed sea scallops: a review and update of the effects of copper, cadmium and zinc. Marine Environmental Research 28:219–220

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hayes DP (2007) Nutritional hormesis. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition 61:147–159

    Google Scholar 

  • Hercus MJ, Loeschcke V, Rattan SIS (2003) Lifespan extension of Drosophila melanogaster through hormesis by repeated mild heat stress. Biogerontology 4:149–156

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hunter RD (1975) Growth, fecundity, and bioenergetics in three populations of Lymnaea palustris in upstate New York. Ecology 56:50–63

    Google Scholar 

  • Idaho Division of Health (2003) Evaluation of Metals in Bullhead, Bass, and Kokanee from Lake Coeur D’Alene, Coeur D’Alene, ID: Idaho Division of Health Publication

  • Ji LL, Gomez-Cabrera MC, Vina J (2006) Exercise and hormesis: activation of cellular antioxidant signaling pathway. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences 1067:425–435

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jonas WB (2001) The future of hormesis: what is the clinical relevance of hormesis? Critical Reviews in Toxicology 31:655–658

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kinoshita A, Wanibuchi H, Morimura K, Wei M, Shen J, Imaoka S, et al. (2003) Phenobarbital at low dose exerts hormesis in rat hepatocarcinogenesis by reducing oxidative DNA damage, altering cell proliferation, apoptosis and gene expression. Carcinogenesis 24:1389–1399

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Laughlin RB Jr, Ng J, Guard HE (1981) Hormesis: a response to low environmental concentrations of petroleum hydrocarbons. Science 211:705–707

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lee M, Cryer B, Feldman M (1994) Dose effects of aspirin on gastric prostaglandins and stomach mucosal injury. Annals of Internal Medicine 120:184–189

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lefcort H, Aguon MQ, Bond KA, Chapman KR, Chaquette R, Clark J, et al. (2002) Indirect effects of heavy metals on parasites may cause shifts in snail species compositions. Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology 43:34–41

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lefcort H, Ammann E, Eiger SM (2000) Antipredatory behavior as an index of heavy-metal pollution? A test using snails and caddisflies. Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology 38:311–316

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lefcort H, Meguire RA, Wilson LH, Ettinger WF (1998) Heavy metals alter the survival, growth, metamorphosis, and antipredatory behavior of Columbia spotted frog (Rana luteiventris) tadpoles. Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology 35:447–456

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lefcort H, Thomson SM, Cowles EE, Harowicz HL, Livaudais BM, Roberts WE, et al. (1999) Ramification of predator avoidance: predator and heavy metal mediated competition between tadpoles and snails. Ecological Applications 9:1477–1489

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nascarella MA, Stoffolano JG, Stanek EJ, Kostecki PT, Calabrese EJ (2003) Hormesis and stage specific toxicity induced by cadmium in an insect model, the queen blowfly, Phormia regina Meig. Environmental Pollution 124:257–262

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Odendaal JP, Reinecke AJ (2001) Effect of metal mixtures (Cd and Zn) on body weight in terrestrial isopods. Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology 46:377–384

    Google Scholar 

  • Pellegrini O, Davenas E, Morin L, Tsangaris GT, Benveniste J, Manuel Y, et al. (1994) Modulation of stress proteins by Cd2+ in a human T cell line. European Journal of Pharmacology 270:221–228

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pollycove M, Feinendegen LE (2001) Biologic responses to low doses of ionizing radiation: detriment versus hormesis. Part 2. Dose responses of organisms. Journal of Nuclear Medicine 42:32N–36N

    Google Scholar 

  • Radak Z, Chung HY, Goto S (2005) Exercise and hormesis: activation of cellular antioxidant signaling pathway. Biogerontology 6:71–75

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rattan SIS (2001) Applying hormesis in aging research and therapy. Human and Experimental Toxicology 20:281–285

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Roesijadi G (1994) Behavior of metallothionein-bound metals in a natural population of an estuarine mollusk. Marine Environmental Research 38:147–168

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Schmidt C, Cheng C, Marino A, Konsoula R, Barile FA (2004) Hormesis effect of trace metals on cultured normal and immortal human mammary cells. Toxicology and Industrial Health 20:57–68

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Seagrave JC, McDonald, Reed MD, Seilkop SK, Mauderly JL (2005) Responses to subchronic inhalation of low concentrations of diesel exhaust and hardwood smoke measured in rat bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. Inhalation Toxicology 17:657–670

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Strömgren T (1982) Effect of heavy metals (Zn, Hg, Cu, Cd, Pb, Ni) on the length growth of Mytilus edulis. Marine Biology 72:69–72

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • van der Woude H, Alink GM, Rietjens IM (2005) The definition of hormesis and its implications for in vitro to in vivo extrapolation and risk assessment. Critical Reviews in Toxicology 35:603–607

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • von Hertzen L, Haahtela T (2005) Signs of reversing trends in prevalence of asthma. Allergy 60:283–292

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zanuncio TV, Serrao JE, Zanuncio JC, Guedes RNC (2003) Permethrin-induced hormesis on the predator Supputius cincticeps (Stal, 1860) (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae). Crop Protection 22:941–947

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

We thank J. Haydock, B. Swanson, and an anonymous reviewer for extremely helpful comments. This study was partially funded by a grant from the Merck Corporation to H. Lefcort.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Biology Department, Gonzaga University, 502 E. Boone Avenue, Spokane, WA, 99258, USA

    Hugh Lefcort, Zachary Freedman, Sherman House & Mathew Pendleton

Authors
  1. Hugh Lefcort
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Zachary Freedman
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Sherman House
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Mathew Pendleton
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Hugh Lefcort.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Lefcort, H., Freedman, Z., House, S. et al. Hormetic Effects of Heavy Metals in Aquatic Snails: Is a Little Bit of Pollution Good?. EcoHealth 5, 10–17 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10393-008-0158-0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10393-008-0158-0

Keywords

Search

Navigation