Uptake of platinum by zebrafish (Danio rerio) and ramshorn snail (Marisa cornuarietis) and resulting effects on early embryogenesis

Platinum group elements (PGEs), platinum, palladium and rhodium are widely used in automobile catalytic converters. PGEs are emitted into the environment and enter the aquatic ecosystem via runoff rainwater. The present study investigated the bioavailability of platinum chloride for the zebrafish (Danio rerio) and the ramshorn snail (Marisa cornuarietis) and determined the bioaccumulation rate of platinum. Applying the fish early life stage assay for D. rerio (DarT) and the Marisa embryo toxicity test (“Mariett”) for M. cornuarietis, effects of platinum chloride on the embryonic development were investigated. Platinum concentrations tested in this study ranged from environmentally relevant concentrations of 38 ng L−1 up to a concentration of 74.2 μg L−1 for D. rerio and of 200 ng L−1 up to 98.7 μg L−1 for M. cornuarietis. Platinum was found to be accumulated in both organisms. Bioaccumulation factors (BAFs) were in the range of 5–55 for D. rerio and of 218.4–723.9 for M. cornuarietis, depending on the tested Pt concentrations. During the embryonic development, platinum was shown to alter the heart rate of both organisms already at the lowest tested concentration. At higher concentrations, platinum decelerated the hatching rate of the embryos of both species. Additionally, a retardation of the general development and a loss of weight due to platinum exposure was observed in M. cornuarietis. Results of this study contribute important data on the ecotoxicity of a rarely studied element.