Low sensitivity of ciliary activity in the gills of Anodonta cygnea to some ecotoxicals

1. The effects of some ecotoxical model substances on the activity of frontal gill cilia of freshwater mussel Anodonta cygnea were studied in 1 and 24 hr experiments with the particle transport method. The effects were compared with the results of standard Daphnia magna ec 50 tests with the same substances. 2. Variations of pH between 4.8 and 8.1 affected the ciliary activity by less than 30%. 3. Ciliary activity was less sensitive to heavy metal salts, sodium lauryl sulphate and to two pulp industry waste model substances than D. magna. 4. Compared to D. magna, the ciliary activity was more sensitive to formalin and 2,4-dinitrophenol, and as sensitive to ethanol. 5. Ciliary activity in bivalve gills is a well regulated and/or a relative insensitive function, but it may be used as a rapid screening test for some cell ecotoxicals.