Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Relationship between subcellular cadmium distribution in prey and cadmium trophic transfer to a predator

January 1, 1996

We tested the hypothesis that exposure-related alterations in the subcellular Cd distribution in prey relate to changes in Cd absorption by a predator. Oligochaete worms,Limnodrilus hoffmeisteri were exposed for 1 wk or 6 wk to 0.5 μg Cd 1−1, 47 μg Cd 1−1, or 140 μg Cd 1−1 (including109Cd as a tracer) and relationships between oligochaete subcellular Cd distribution and Cd absorption by a predator, the grass shrimp (Palaemonetes pugio), were determined. Concentration and duration of Cd exposure had direct effects on oligochaete subcellular Cd distribution. Changes in oligochaete subcellular Cd distribution were characterized by increases in both the amount and proportion of Cd bound to the cytosolic fraction. The induction of Cd-binding proteins (e.g., metallothioneins) were suspected to be responsible for these changes. We found 1∶1 relationships between the amount and percentage of Cd in oligochaete cytosol and the amount and percentage of Cd adsorbed by shrimp. These results demonstrate that only metal bound to the soluble fraction of prey is available to higher trophic levels, and that factors influencing subcellular metal distribution in prey will directly alter metal trophic transfer to predators.

Publication Year 1996
Title Relationship between subcellular cadmium distribution in prey and cadmium trophic transfer to a predator
DOI 10.2307/1352308
Authors W.G. Wallace, G.R. Lopez
Publication Type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Series Title Estuaries
Index ID 70018572
Record Source USGS Publications Warehouse