Lethal and sublethal responses of an aquatic insect Culex quinquefasciatus (Diptera: Culicidae) challenged with individual and joint exposure to dissolved sodium selenate and methylmercury chloride.

Pollutants rarely occur alone in the natural environment, and few studies have focused on the potential interactions between metals or metalloids. In this study an aquatic insect, the southern house mosquito (Culex quinquefasciatus: Diptera), was used to test the individual and joint effects of dissolved sodium selenate (Se) and methyl mercury chloride (MeHg). We conducted ovipositional preference tests and 14-day chronic toxicity studies to determine lethal and sublethal responses of C. quinquefasciatus to a range of Se and MeHg concentrations and mixtures. No evidence was found for female ovipositional preference in field trials using artificial ponds. Larvae were more sensitive to MeHg than Se, with LC(50) values of 30 microg/L (CI = 28-31 microg/L) and 11 mg/L (CI = 10-12 mg/L) respectively. In addition, larval survival was significantly reduced at concentrations as low as 25 microg/L of MeHg and 8 mg/L of Se. A synergistic interaction was observed in the toxicity of the Se-MeHg mixtures to C. quinquefasciatus larvae. Larval mosquito survival was significantly reduced at 7.5 microg/L MeHg + 2.75 mg/L Se and an LC(50) value of 9 microg/L MeHg + 3.4 mg/L Se was determined for a fixed ratio mixture. The rate of growth of the larvae was analyzed using a Growth Index that provided a sensitive measure of the developmental effects of toxicant exposure. Sodium selenate at concentrations as low as 2 mg/L caused a significant decrease in growth between larvae in treatment versus control solutions after only 4 days. Similarly, MeHg at concentrations as low as 25 microg/L and a Se-MeHg mixture of 3 microg/L MeHg plus 1.1 mg/L Se caused significant growth reductions after only 2 and 3 days, respectively. These are the first reported survival and developmental data for an aquatic insect exposed to MeHg and Se-MeHg mixtures.