Effects of platinum (Pt4+) on Lumbriculus variegatus Muller (Annelida, Oligochaetae): acute toxicity and bioaccumulation

The acute toxicity and bioaccumulation (rates, kinetic) of tetravalent platinum in Lumbriculus variegatus under different physicochemical conditions (temperature and total water hardness) were investigated. Increased Pt4+ concentration (from 0.05 to 50 mg/L), exposure (up to 30 days), temperature (from 4 to 20 degrees C) and decreasing water hardness (from 300 to 0 mg/L CaCO3) increased Pt toxicity. The metal accumulated at a constant rate that was concentration, temperature and time dependent. The median lethal concentration (96h LC50) varied greatly from 0.397 mg/L in distilled water to 30 mg/L in the hard water from Champagne. Thus, L. var. can tolerate high levels of Pt. As a result, L. var. can be used in the laboratory to analyze mechanisms of adaptation to the induced stress and in the field as an indicator of Pt pollution.