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Metal Ecotoxicology in Fluvial Biofilms: Potential Influence of Water Scarcity

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Water Scarcity in the Mediterranean

Part of the book series: The Handbook of Environmental Chemistry ((HEC,volume 8))

Abstract

Human activity is responsible for the entrance of toxic substances into aquatic ecosystems. These substances entail a risk for the components of the ecosystem (toxicological stress). As a result of global change, aquatic ecosystems are under strong environmental stress due to changes in water flow or nutrient concentration among others. This chapter presents a review of experimental and field studies addressing metal effects on fluvial biofilms and their implications for understanding the potential influence of water scarcity on the fate and effects of metals in fluvial systems. Water scarcity might increase metal exposure (due to low dilution), uptake (due to higher retention under low flow), toxicity and/or accumulation (depending on the dose and time of exposure) but may also cause opposite effects depending on the source of pollution. In addition, the influence that water scarcity might have on nutrient loads will also modulate the fate and effects of metals. Future studies addressing the role of environmental stress on the effects of toxicants at a community scale will be fundamental to predict the impact of toxicants in the aquatic ecosystems.

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Acknowledgments

The “Serveis Científics i Tècnics” at the University of Girona provided its facilities and technical help for ICP-MS metal analysis. The research was funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Education (FLUVIALFITOMARC CGL2006-12785), and the EC Sixth Framework Program (MODELKEY 511237-2 GOCE and KEYBIOEFFECTS MRTN-CT-2006-035695).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Facultat de Ciències, Institut d’Ecologia Aquàtica, Campus Montilivi, 17071, Girona, Spain

    Helena Guasch, Alexandra Serra, Natàlia Corcoll & Berta Bonet

  2. Faculty of Sciences, University of A Coruña, Campus da Zapateira, 15071, A Coruña, Spain

    Manel Leira

Authors
  1. Helena Guasch
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  2. Alexandra Serra
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  3. Natàlia Corcoll
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  4. Berta Bonet
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  5. Manel Leira
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Helena Guasch .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Inst. d’Ecologia Aquàtica, Universitat de Girona, Campus Montivili, Girona, 17071, Spain

    Sergi Sabater

  2. Instituto Investigaciones Químicas y, Ambientales de Barcelona (IIQAB), CSIC Barcelona, Jordi Girona 18-26, Barcelona, 08034, Spain

    Damià Barceló

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Guasch, H., Serra, A., Corcoll, N., Bonet, B., Leira, M. (2010). Metal Ecotoxicology in Fluvial Biofilms: Potential Influence of Water Scarcity. In: Sabater, S., Barceló, D. (eds) Water Scarcity in the Mediterranean. The Handbook of Environmental Chemistry(), vol 8. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/698_2009_25

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