Single and joint effects of petroleum hydrocarbons and cadmium on the polychaete Perinereis aibuhitensis Grube

Using the concentration gradient and combined pollutant exposure method, the single and joint effects of petroleum hydrocarbons （PHCs） and cadmium （Cd） on polychaete Perinereis aibuhitensis Grube, an ecologically keystone species in estuarine and coastal environment, have been investigated. The results indicate that the toxicity of PHCs to P. aibuhitensis is stronger than that of Cd to the organism. There are positive correlations between the mortality of worms and the exposed concentration of single Cd or PHCs in solution. Similarly, the accumulation of Cd or PHCs in worms increased with increasing Cd- or PHC-exposed concentrations. All the correlation relationships can be described using unitary quadratic equations （Y or Z = aX^2 ＋ bX ＋ c）. It is calculated, on the basis of these expressions, that the median lethal dose （LC50） ofP aibuhitensis exposed to a single Cd or PHCs is 793.4-13567.3 and 28.0-119.9 μg/L, respectively. The exposed time has some stimulative effect on the two pollutants and on the mortality of the worms. Thus, even a low concentration of a single Cd or PHCs may have strong toxic effects on the worms when the exposed time becomes longer. The accumulation of Cd or PHCs in worms differs with an increase in exposure time at the given exposed concentration of a single Cd or PHCs. Noticeably, the accumulation of PHCs in worms decreases with an increase in exposure time at the given high concentration of PHCs in solution. The joint effect of PHCs and Cd on P. aibuhitensis is very complicated and changes with the exposed concentrations of the two pollutants. At the given concentration of PHCs, the joint toxicity of the two pollutants on the worms changes from synergism to antagonism with an increase in Cd concentration. The accumulation of Cd in the worms significantly decreases with the addition of PHCs to exposure solution.

Carbon and nitrogen budget in fish-polychaete integrated aquaculture system

Integrated multi-tropic aquaculture(IMTA)systems have been used in China for many years and have achieved significant economic,social,and ecological benefits.However,there is still a lack of benthic bioremediation species that can effectively utilize the aquaculture particulate organic waste in the system.Polychaete Perinereis aibuhitensis Grube is used as an environmental remediation species for large-scale aquaculture to reduce particulate organic waste,which is of great significance to environmental protection.To improve bio-elements utilization efficiency,P.aibuhitensis was applied for IMTA indoor fish(Hexagrammos otakii)farming.Results showed that in the system,production of 1 kg of the fish discharged 2141-2338 mg of carbon and 529-532 mg of nitrogen,while in the monoculture of the fish,the figures were 3033-3390 mg and 764-794 mg,or 24.84%-35.26%and 30.35%-33.32%less,respectively.This approach promoted IMTA technology that could utilize the particulate organic waste from intensive aquaculture and reduce the adverse environmental effects.