Evaluation of Corophium orientale as bioindicator for Venice Lagoon: sensitivity assessment and toxicity-score proposal.

The 96-h water-only exposure and 10-d sediment toxicity tests with the amphipod Corophium orientale were performed in order to enhance the knowledge about its overall sensitivity and its applicability to Venice Lagoon sediments. The values obtained with cadmium as reference toxicant demonstrated a certain variability of the LC(50); the higher value was found in spring and the lower in late summer. Tests with other pure chemicals (Ni, Total Ammonia, Sodium Dodecyl-Sulphate) showed good discriminatory power; the toxicity gradient observed was: Cd (LC(50) of 3.3 mg/L)>SDS (LC(50) of 8.7 mg/L)>total ammonia (LC(50) of 126mg/L)>Ni (LC(50) of 352 mg/L). Sediment toxicity test results were used to obtain information on non-treatment factors (grain-size, TOC content) that could act as confounding factors, and to develop a site-specific toxicity-score based on minimum significant difference approach. Confounding factors seem not to affect test results. The procedure to develop the toxicity score took into account the relatively lower sensitivity of C. orientale with respect to other amphipods commonly used in toxicity tests (Ampelisca abdita and Rhepoxynius abronius).