Bioaccumulation of atrazine in freshwater bivalves Anodontites trapesialis (Lamarck, 1819) and Corbicula fluminea (Müller, 1774).

The bioaccumulation of atrazine in bivalves is expected due to its wide use in agriculture and its moderate water solubility (33 mg/l). To assess the capacity of bioaccumulation, we performed a laboratory study in which two bivalves species (Anodontites trapesialis and Corbicula fluminea) were exposed to atrazine (concentrations of 0.06 to 0.34 microg/ml) during 48 h. The results showed that both bivalve species were able to bioaccumulate atrazine in their tissues. In another experiment, groups of bivalves from the specie A. trapesialis were exposed to atrazine at the concentration of 1 mug/ml and different organs of these animals were analyzed. The visceral mass, foot and mantle plus siphon showed the highest values of atrazine bioaccumulation.