Uranium toxicity to aquatic invertebrates: A laboratory assay

Uranium mining is an environmental concern because of runoff and the potential for toxic effects on the biota. To investigate uranium toxicity to freshwater invertebrates, we conducted a 96-h acute toxicity test to determine lethal concentrations (testing concentrations up to 262 mg L⁻¹) for three stream invertebrates: a shredder caddisfly, Schizopelex festiva Rambur (Trichoptera, Sericostomatidae); a detritivorous isopod, Proasellus sp. (Isopoda, Asellidae); and a scraper gastropod, Theodoxus fluviatilis (Gastropoda, Neritidae). Next, we ran a chronic-toxicity test with the most tolerant species (S. festiva) to assess if uranium concentrations found in some local streams (up to 25 μg L⁻¹) affect feeding, growth and respiration rates. Finally, we investigated whether S. festiva takes up uranium from the water and/or from ingested food. In the acute test, S. festiva survived in all uranium concentrations tested. LC₅₀-96-h for Proasellus sp and T. fluviatilis were 142 mg L⁻¹ and 24 mg L⁻¹, respectively. Specimens of S. festiva exposed to 25 μg L⁻¹ had 47% reduced growth compared with specimens under control conditions (21.5 ± 2.9 vs. 40.6 ± 4.9 μg of mass increase animal⁻¹·day⁻¹). Respiration rates (0.40 ± 0.03 μg O₂·h⁻¹·mg animal⁻¹) and consumption rates (0.54 ± 0.05 μg μg animal⁻¹·day⁻¹; means ± SE) did not differ between treatments. Under laboratory conditions S. festiva accumulated uranium from both the water and the ingested food. Our results indicate that uranium can be less toxic than other metals or metalloids produced by mining activities. However, even at the low concentrations observed in streams affected by abandoned mines, uranium can impair physiological processes, is bioaccumulated, and is potentially transferred through food webs.