Toxicity Studies of Polynuclear Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) on European Amphipods

Abstract

The effect of phenanthrene, fluoranthene, and pyrene in dimethyl sulfoxide on the amphipods Gammarus aequicauda, Gammarus locusta, and Corophium multisetosum was tested in a static exposure in sea water. The 48-h lethal concentration (LC50) of phenanthrene was 173.85 μg/L for G. aequicauda, 147.64 μg/L for G. locusta, and 215.20 μg/L for C. multisetosum. The 48-h LC50 of fluoranthene was 49.99 μg/L for G. aequicauda, 42.71 μg/L for G. locusta, and 2.85 μg/L for C. multisetosum. The 48-h LC50 of pyrene was 73.49 μg/L for G. aequicauda, 60.78 μg/L for G. locusta, and 25.29 μg/L for C. multisetosum. Together with their wide distribution along European coasts, the evidence of toxicity on the tested PAH compounds in these amphipods make these species appropriate candidates for evaluating oil-contaminated sediments in Europe.