Naimo, T. J., Atchison, G. J., and Holland Bartels, L. E., 1992, Sublethal effects of
cadmium on physiological responses in the pocketbook mussel, Lampsilis ventricosa:
Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, v. 11, no. 7, p. 1013-1021.

Abstract

Several physiological responses have been used to evaluate the effects of contaminants
on marine bivalves.  Respiration rate, food clearance rate, ammonia excretion rate, and
food assimilation efficiency can be quantified  and incorporated into a bioenergetics
model known as scope for growth. This model estimates an organism's  instantaneous
energy budget and quantifies the available energy for growth and reproduction. We
applied some  of these physiological techniques to freshwater mussels to determine the
sublethal effects of cadmium. The  objective of our study was to quantify the
physiological responses of adult pocketbook mussels, Lampsilis  ventricosa , exposed
to sublethal concentrations of cadmium. We selected L. ventricosa  for study because it
is  abundant in the upper Mississippi River and its life history has been partially
documented.

Keywords

cadmium, sublethal-effects, pollution-effects, animal-physiology, bioenergetics,
bioaccumulation, freshwater-molluscs, Lampsilis-ventricosa, freshwater-organisms,
physiology, freshwater-environments, heavy-metals