An Evaluation the Chronic Toxicity of Metals in Water and Sediment to the Unionid Mussel, Fatmucket (Lampsilis siliquoidea), in Exposures Representing Conditions in the Tri-States Mining District Active
The Tri-State Mining District (TSMD) is a large (about 500 sq. mi.) historical lead and zinc mining area that includes portions of Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma. The TSMD yielded about 460 million tons of ore between 1885 and 1970, resulting in contamination of surface water, groundwater, sediments, and soils in the Spring River and Neosho River basins by lead, zinc, and other heavy metals.
The Issue:
Earlier studies found that juvenile mussels were less sensitive to toxicity of TSMD sediments than other benthic invertebrates (Besser et al 2015). However, Angelo et al. (2007) reported that mussel taxa richness and mussel density decreased in stream reaches downstream of historical lead-zinc mining and that mussel taxa richness had significant negative correlations with metal concentrations in stream sediments.
Addressing the Issue:
In 2016, USGS received funding from the Fish and Wildlife Service through the NRDAR program to conduct further investigations of metal toxicity to mussels. These studies were coordinated with mussel community surveys to quantify possible injury to mussels, including species that are protected under the Endangered Species Act: the Neosho mucket (Lampsilis rafinesqueana) and the spectaclecase mussel (Cumberlandia monodonta).
Reconnaissance sampling in 2016 identified sites with suitable habitat for freshwater mussels and characterized metal concentrations in sediment and stream water. In 2017, malacologists from Ecological Specialists/EcoAnalysts conducted quantitative surveys of mussel communities and characterized mussel habitat at about 20 study sites. CERC scientists collected fine sediments from 24 sites for laboratory toxicity testing. Toxicity tests with juvenile freshwater mussels (fatmucket, Lampsilis siliquoidea) were conducted in 2017 and 2018 using a new protocol for longer-term exposures (12 wk vs. 4 wk). These studies included separate tests to compare the toxicity of metals in water-only exposures, sediment exposures (with clean overlying water), and simultaneous exposure to metals from both sediment and overlying water.
Next Steps/Future Steps/Results:
Data from the toxicity studies will be used to estimate thresholds for metal toxicity to juvenile mussels under exposure conditions comparable to streams draining TSMD. Data from toxicity studies will be analyzed together with data from mussel community surveys to document whether metal toxicity is the cause for impacts on wild mussel communities in these streams.
Cited References:
Angelo, R. T., M. S. Cringan, D. L. Chamberlain, A. J. Stahl, S. G. Haslouer and C. A. Goodrich, 2007, Residual effects of lead and zinc mining on freshwater mussels in the Spring River Basin (Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma, USA): Science of the Total Environment, v. 384, no. 1, p. 467-496.
Besser, J.M., Ingersoll, C.G., Brumbaugh, W.G., Kemble, N.E., May, T.W., Wang, N., MacDonald, D.D., and Roberts, A.D., 2015, Toxicity of sediments from lead–zinc mining areas to juvenile freshwater mussels (Lampsilis siliquoidea) compared to standard test organisms: Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, v. 34, no. 3, p. 626-639.
Return to Fish and Invertebrate Toxicology
Return to Sediment Toxicology
The Tri-State Mining District (TSMD) is a large (about 500 sq. mi.) historical lead and zinc mining area that includes portions of Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma. The TSMD yielded about 460 million tons of ore between 1885 and 1970, resulting in contamination of surface water, groundwater, sediments, and soils in the Spring River and Neosho River basins by lead, zinc, and other heavy metals.
The Issue:
Earlier studies found that juvenile mussels were less sensitive to toxicity of TSMD sediments than other benthic invertebrates (Besser et al 2015). However, Angelo et al. (2007) reported that mussel taxa richness and mussel density decreased in stream reaches downstream of historical lead-zinc mining and that mussel taxa richness had significant negative correlations with metal concentrations in stream sediments.
Addressing the Issue:
In 2016, USGS received funding from the Fish and Wildlife Service through the NRDAR program to conduct further investigations of metal toxicity to mussels. These studies were coordinated with mussel community surveys to quantify possible injury to mussels, including species that are protected under the Endangered Species Act: the Neosho mucket (Lampsilis rafinesqueana) and the spectaclecase mussel (Cumberlandia monodonta).
Reconnaissance sampling in 2016 identified sites with suitable habitat for freshwater mussels and characterized metal concentrations in sediment and stream water. In 2017, malacologists from Ecological Specialists/EcoAnalysts conducted quantitative surveys of mussel communities and characterized mussel habitat at about 20 study sites. CERC scientists collected fine sediments from 24 sites for laboratory toxicity testing. Toxicity tests with juvenile freshwater mussels (fatmucket, Lampsilis siliquoidea) were conducted in 2017 and 2018 using a new protocol for longer-term exposures (12 wk vs. 4 wk). These studies included separate tests to compare the toxicity of metals in water-only exposures, sediment exposures (with clean overlying water), and simultaneous exposure to metals from both sediment and overlying water.
Next Steps/Future Steps/Results:
Data from the toxicity studies will be used to estimate thresholds for metal toxicity to juvenile mussels under exposure conditions comparable to streams draining TSMD. Data from toxicity studies will be analyzed together with data from mussel community surveys to document whether metal toxicity is the cause for impacts on wild mussel communities in these streams.
Cited References:
Angelo, R. T., M. S. Cringan, D. L. Chamberlain, A. J. Stahl, S. G. Haslouer and C. A. Goodrich, 2007, Residual effects of lead and zinc mining on freshwater mussels in the Spring River Basin (Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma, USA): Science of the Total Environment, v. 384, no. 1, p. 467-496.
Besser, J.M., Ingersoll, C.G., Brumbaugh, W.G., Kemble, N.E., May, T.W., Wang, N., MacDonald, D.D., and Roberts, A.D., 2015, Toxicity of sediments from lead–zinc mining areas to juvenile freshwater mussels (Lampsilis siliquoidea) compared to standard test organisms: Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, v. 34, no. 3, p. 626-639.
Return to Fish and Invertebrate Toxicology
Return to Sediment Toxicology