Ecotoxicological impacts of zebra mussels, Dreissena polymorpha, a new food source for lesser scaup, Aythia affinis

Zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha) have invaded a great proportion of the waters of the eastern part of North America. This mollusk may be a useful sentinel species for bioaccumulation of heavy metals and organic contaminants in aquatic ecosystems. The zebra mussel's capacity to bioaccumulate cadmium at environmentally relevant exposure and to sequester metals in metal-binding proteins, metallothioneins, was investigated. Elevated (relative to control) concentrations of Cd$ sp{2+}$ were detected in Dreissena exposed to $ ge$2 $ mu$g Cd/liter suggesting that zebra mussels cannot regulate Cd$ sp{2+}$ of trace exposure concentration. More than 85% of the measured Cd$ sp{2+}$ was bound to metallothioneins.Lesser scaup (Aythya affinis) was assessed as a model species for potential impacts of zebra mussels on higher trophic levels. The feasibility of incubating and rearing scaup in semi-natural conditions was evaluated. A series of biomarkers was assessed in 3 groups of scaup fed a contaminant-free diet or diets containing zebra mussels from the St-Lawrence River or Lake Erie.Lesser scaup proved to be a suitable species to raise in captivity providing daily water misting through out incubation and strict hygiene conditions during brooding. A hatching success of 89% was achieved. Appropriate housing, feeding and bathing conditions yielded low (3%) post-hatching mortality.Phagocytosis and respiratory burst activities of heterophils of scaup were suppressed after 6 weeks of feeding on zebra mussels, compared to the control group. These two heterophilic functions were negatively correlated with the incidence of pododermatitis (bacterial feet infection), suggesting a suppression of the non specific immunity. Increased liver/body mass ratio and decreased hepatic vitamin A (retinol and retinyl palmitate) concentrations were observed in scaups fed zebra mussels. Lipid accumulation and glycogen overload were found in the livers of scaups fed mussels from the St-Lawrence River and the Lake Erie groups, respectively. These immunological, biochemical and histopathological biomarkers show promise for monitoring "early" injury and may help in the understanding of health impairment of different species of waterfowl exposed to xenobiotics via contaminated food sources