Cholinesterase inhibition and impacts on behavior of the Asian clam, Corbicula fluminea, after exposure to an organophosphate insecticide

This study assessed the effects of exposure to an insecticide formulation containing the organophosphate, chlorpyrifos on cholinesterase activity, siphoning and burrowing ability in the Asian clam, Corbicula fluminea. Clams were exposed to concentrations of the pesticide ranging from 0.05 to 50 mg/L (as chlorpyrifos) in a series of 96-h static bioassays. Those organisms exposed to pesticide concentrations at or above 3.13 mg/L avoided exposure through valve closure during the 96-h test period, with no resultant effects on cholinesterase activity or behavior. Similarly, no effect was observed at low-test concentrations ranging from 0.05 to 0.1 mg/L, even though clams actively siphoned in these treatments. Asian clams exposed to the mid-range of concentrations, 0.5–1.0 mg/L, experienced a significant reduction in cholinesterase activity and a reduced capacity to burrow into the substrate. While these data indicate that cholinesterase activity in C. fluminea could be used as a biomarker of organophosphorous pesticide exposure, valve closure can clearly influence exposure profiles and biomarker response.