Exploring Metal Bioaccumulation in Freshwater Mollusks of the Susquehanna River Basin

Heavy metal bioaccumulation in freshwater mollusks has been used to monitor the water quality of streams. Snails and clams, being grazers and filter feeders, are especially proficient in concentrating the metals found in the water, providing a more dynamic understanding of low-level and intermittent sources of metal pollution. The aims of this study were one, to determine if bioaccumulation was occurring, and two to determine the sources of these metals. The research was conducted by collecting water samples, Asian clams (Corbicula fluminea), and river snails (Pleurocera sp.) in 9 micro watersheds in the Susquehanna River Basin. We measured the heavy metal bioaccumulation using ICP-OES and ICP-MS spectrometers. We tested for 5 elements: copper, lead, magnesium, iron, and zinc. Collection sites were selected for the presence of Corbicula fluminea and Pleurocera sp., the history of aquatic macroinvertebrate collection, and existing water quality samples. Snails consistently showed higher metal accumulation levels than clams taken from the same site collection location. Concentrations in both species vary by collection site. Preliminary results say that watersheds with higher agricultural land use have higher metal accumulations in the mollusks.

Presentation Preference: Poster

Primary Presenter: Sydney Witter, Juniata College (wittese21@juniata.edu)

Authors:

Sydney Witter, Juniata College  (wittese21@juniata.edu)

Amanda Puza, Juniata College  (puzaal21@juniata.edu)

Cheyenne Woodward, Juniata College  (cmw100@juniata.edu)

Ryan Mathur, Juniata College  (mathurr@juniata.edu)

Neil Pelkey, Juniata College  (pelkey@juniata.edu)