Survival, Reproduction and Growth of the Marine Amphipod, Leptocheirus plumulosus, Following Laboratory Exposure to Copper-Spiked Sediment.

Leptocheirus plumulosus was exposed for 28 days to Cu-spiked sediment at mean concentrations ranging from 44.4 to 605 mg Cu/kg dry sediment in a sediment/water test system designed to simulate natural conditions. The NOEC (no observed effect concentration)-LOEC (lowest observed effect concentration) range for the most sensitive endpoint of growth was 199-414 mg Cu/kg sediment. An IC50 for reproduction was estimated at 187 mg Cu/kg sediment. Mean Cu concentrations in pore water (PW) where significant effects were observed were 25.8 and 59.0 µg/L, while their respective concentrations in overlying water (OW) were 22.1 and 28.0 µg Cu/L. Copper concentrations were ≤19.1 and <16.6 µg/L in PW and OW, respectively, at lower exposures where effects were not evident. Concentrations of Cu in marine sediment lower than sediment quality guidelines based on geochemical factors of acid volatile sulfide, organic carbon content (f OC), and sediment grain size (i.e., silt + clay) would appear not to result in adverse effects toward L. plumulosus.