The Uptake and Accumulation of Zinc and Copper From Solution by two Species of Talitrid Amphipods (Crustacea)

Abstract
The exposure of two species of talitrid amphipods(Orchestia gammarellusandOrchestia mediterranea)to a range of zinc and copper concentrations in solution has enabled the categorization of the mode of metal accumulation adopted by these supralittoral amphipods. Both species showed net accumulation of dissolved zinc and copper at all experimental exposures between 20 and 1000 μig Zng 1 and 13 and 1000 μg Cu 1 in artificial sea-water. Studies using Zn have shown that the zinc uptake rates of both species (0·430 μg Zn g d, SE 0·032 and 0·408 µg Zn g d, SE 0·073 forO. gammarellusandO. mediterranearespectively at 10°C in 31·6 μg Zn 1) are not significantly different, and are low in comparison with other crustaceans. Laboratory results are related to field conditions, and it is concluded that Firth of ClydeO. gammarellusare more dependent upon a food source in order to meet both their copper and zinc requirements than areO. mediterraneawhich are able to obtain sufficient metabolic copper from solution. The use of talitrid amphipods in zinc and copper biomonitoring programmes is also discussed.
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