TOXICITY OF CADMIUM TO BULLIA DIGITALIS (PROSOBRANCHIATA: NASSARIDAE)

Summary

Large adult females of Bullia digitalis were subjected to a series of concentrations of cadmium chloride in sea water at 11°C and their responses observed. A concentration of 0,1 p.p.m, cadmium inhibits their natural attraction to food, while visible stress symptoms are apparent at 0,5 p.p.m. after 4 days. The 60-hour LC₅₀ was 4 p.p.m., that for 72 hours was 3,6 p.p.m., while the 96-hour LC₅₀ was only 0,9 p.p.m, cadmium. Chronically stressed animals did not recover when transferred to unpolluted sea water. The symptoms observed are not specific to cadmium poisoning but are similar to those observed in Bullia for a number of other pollutants.