Water–sediment interactions for Hyalella azteca exposed to uranium-spiked sediment

Data on the toxicity of uranium in sediments to Hyalella azteca and the effect of overlying water chemistry are limited. This study exposed H. azteca to sediments spiked with U (0–10,000 μg U/g dry weight) and five different overlying waters, which varied independently in hardness and alkalinity. Water pH had a major effect on U bioavailability and uptake by H. azteca. Uranium toxicity was higher when overlying water pH was low, while desorption of U into the overlying water increased with increasing pH. There appears to be little effect of Ca on U uptake, other than its influence on U speciation. Experiments with caged animals indicate that U accumulation and toxicity occur mainly through the dissolved phase rather than the solid phase. Uranium bioaccumulation is a more reliable indicator of U toxicity than U concentration in water or sediment. Uranium bioaccumulation in the H. azteca and U adsorption to sediment can be satisfactorily explained using saturation models.