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The Use of Two Marine Gastropods, Austrocochlea constricta and Bembicium auratum, as Biomonitors of Zinc, Cadmium, and Copper Exposure: Effect of Tissue Distribution, Gender, Reproductive State, and Temporal Variation

Abstract This investigation examined the influence of tissue distribution, gender, reproductive state, temporal variation, salinity, and water temperature on zinc, cadmium, and copper tissue concentrations in two intertidal gastropods, Austrocochlea constricta and Bembicium auratum. More of the variability in total zinc, copper, and cadmium concentrations of both species was explained by trace metal variability in digestive/gonad tissue than by variability in somatic tissue metal concentration. Although there was significant temporal variation in tissue trace metal concentrations, gender, reproductive state, salinity, and water temperature individually did not account for these differences. It was not possible to entirely disentangle the interactions of several concurrent processes such as spawning and mass gain and loss; however, these do not appear to be confounding factors for the use of these gastropods as biomonitors for the comparison of trace metal concentrations between populations at different locations.