Trade-offs between elimination and detoxification in rainbow trout and common bivalve molluscs exposed to metal stressors

The purpose of this paper was to examine trade-offs between elimination and detoxification in rainbow trout and three common bivalve molluscs (clam, oyster, and scallop) exposed to cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), and zinc (Zn) based on recent reported experimental data. We incorporated metal influx threshold with subcellular partitioning to estimate rate constants of detoxification (kd) and elimination (k2). We found that the relationships between k2 and kd were negative for rainbow trout and positive for bivalve molluscs. However, the relationships between kd and % metal in metabolically detoxified pool were found positive for rainbow trout and negative for bivalve molluscs. Our results also indicated that rainbow trout had higher accumulation (∼60–90%) in metabolically active pool when exposed to essential metals of Cu and Zn and had only 10–50% accumulation in response to non-essential metal of Cd. Based on a cluster analysis, this study indicated that similarity of physiological regulations among study species was found between Cd and Zn. Our study suggested that detoxification can be predicted by an elimination–detoxification scheme with the known elimination rate constant. We concluded that quantification of trade-offs between subcellular partitioning and detoxification provides valuable insights into the ecotoxicology of aquatic organisms and enhances our understanding of the subcellular biology of trace metals.

► Trade-offs between elimination and detoxification in response to Cd, Cu, and Zn.
► Metal influx can be linked with subcellular partitioning.
► We found a distinct cluster in Cu exposed group from Cd and Zn.
► Detoxification can be predicted by the elimination–detoxification scheme.