Bioaccumulation of trace metals in polychaetes from the German Wadden Sea: evaluation and verification of toxicokinetic models

The suitability of selected polychaetes from the German Wadden Sea for biomonitoring (viz. Nereis diversicolor, Nephtys hombergii, Nephtys cirrosa, Scolelepis squamata and Arenicola marina) was tested by toxicokinetic experiments with the elements Pb, Cd, Cu and Zn. In most cases the organisms responded with metal uptake upon exposure, and it was possible to estimate parameters of two-compartment or logistic regression models which were statistically different from zero. The modelling results were successfully verified by comparison with independent bioaccumulation experiments, at least regarding exposure to water-born metals at concentrations below 80 μg Pb 1−1; 10 μg Cd 1−1; 250 μg Cu 1−1 and 500 μg Zn 1−1. These findings are in agreement with a net accumulation strategy. Thus, most of the polychaetes tested can be regarded as suitable biomonitors for the elements under consideration.