Water and sediment toxicity assessment by use of behavioural responses of medicinal leeches
Ecotoxicology study published in Environment International (2003)
Abstract
Behaviour has been shown to be a sensitive indicator of chemically induced stress and pathology in aquatic organisms. However, ecotoxicological investigations on medicinal leech are restricted because of scarce leech resources in natural waters. We used artificially bred medicinal leech (Hirudo medicinalis L.) of two different ages: young (1-2 weeks old) and adult leeches (1 year old). Animals were exposed to: (1) waters of Lake Drukshiai-the cooler of Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant, (2) sediments of the river Nemunas and (3) solution of heavy metal model mixture (HMMM). The following behavioural responses of leech were investigated: mobility (number of moving individuals within certain periods of time), avoidance response (number of individuals escaping the tested water or sediments) changes in body shape (contractions of some muscles, abnormal position of suckers) and feeding activity (longevity of attachment process, interruptions of feeding bouts, size of blood meal). Mobility of young leeches was increased in the tested waters of Lake Drukshiai, whereas adult leeches showed no changes of this index. Avoidance response as well as impaired feeding activity (prolonged attachment process or completely suppressed attachment reflex, decreased size of blood meal) was observed in young leeches exposed to the waters from Lake Drukshiai and in adult animals exposed to all three kind of trials mentioned above. Avoidance response and changes in mobility were recorded during the first hour of exposure to tested samples; therefore, these responses can be used as an express method for water and sediment pollution assessment. Impaired feeding activity was recorded after 1-3-week exposure: this response may be used in assessing a chronic toxicity of pollution. Medicinal leech, due to its sensitivity, simplicity of measured indices and ease of laboratory maintenance, can be used as a test organism in ecotoxicity studies.
Abstract sourced from PubMed (NCBI) for the cited record. See the original publication for the authoritative version.
Zusammenfassung
Artificially-bred medicinal leech (Hirudo medicinalis) used as a test organism for water and sediment toxicity assessment — mobility and avoidance responses appeared within 1 hour, while impaired feeding behavior appeared after 1-3 weeks of exposure to pollutants.
Warum dies für die Hirudotherapie relevant ist
Diese Studie untersuchte Verhaltensreaktionen – Mobilität, Vermeidungsverhalten, Körperformveränderungen und Fressaktivität – von künstlich gezüchteten Hirudo medicinalis (1–2 Wochen alte Jungtiere und 1 Jahr alte Adulte), die Wässern aus dem Drukshiai-See, Sedimenten des Nemunas-Flusses und einer Schwermetall-Modellmischung ausgesetzt waren. Vermeidungs- und Mobilitätsveränderungen traten innerhalb der ersten Expositionsstunde auf, während eine beeinträchtigte Nahrungsaufnahme (verlängerte Anheftung, unterdrückter Saugreflex, reduzierte Blutmahlzeitgröße) nach 1–3 Wochen auftrat, was es den Autoren ermöglicht, schnelle bzw. chronische Toxizitätsendpunkte vorzuschlagen. Die Autoren schlussfolgern, dass H. medicinalis aufgrund seiner Sensitivität und labortechnischen Handhabbarkeit ein praktikabler Testorganismus für ökotoxikologische Studien ist. Für die ASH untersucht diese Studie weder Hirudotherapie, Eigenschaften des Blutegel-Sekretoms noch therapeutische Anwendungen. Sie verwendet Hirudo medicinalis ausschließlich als Bioindikator-Spezies, und ihre Befunde betreffen vollständig die Umwelttoxikologie.
Zitation
Water and sediment toxicity assessment by use of behavioural responses of medicinal leeches.
Petrauskiene L · Environment International, 2003
Verwandter klinischer Kontext
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