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23 June 2023 Sources of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Fecal Pellets of a Marphysa Species (Annelida: Eunicidae) in the Yoro Tidal Flat, Japan
Yuichiro Osaka, Satoshi Abe, Hirokazu Abe, Masaatsu Tanaka, Mayu Onozato, Kenji Okoshi, Atsuko Nishigaki
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Abstract

The fecal pellets of Marphysa sp. E sensu Abe et al. (2019) (Annelida, Eunicidae) living in the Yoro tidal flat (Ichihara, Chiba, Japan) contain high levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and the concentrations rapidly decrease over time. To investigate the origin of the high-concentration PAHs in the fecal pellets and food sources of the worms, the PAH concentrations, carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratios (δ13C and δ15N), total organic carbon, and total nitrogen for two types of sediment (sands and reduced muds), fecal pellets, and the body of the worms were determined. The PAH concentrations and chemical properties of the fecal pellets were similar to those of the reduced muds (20–30 cm sediment depth). The δ13C, δ15N, and C/N values of reduced muds were the same as the typical values of terrestrial C3 plants, suggesting that reduced muds were derived from terrestrial plants. These data indicated that the worms selectively take up reduced muds containing high levels of PAHs. The δ13C and δ15N values of the worm bodies indicated that the worms did not use the organic carbon derived from terrestrial C3 plants as primary nutrition. Taking into consideration their selective uptake of reduced muds, excretion, and subsequent rapid decrease of PAHs in the fecal pellets, the worms could contribute to the remediation of chemical pollutants in the tidal flat sediments.

Yuichiro Osaka, Satoshi Abe, Hirokazu Abe, Masaatsu Tanaka, Mayu Onozato, Kenji Okoshi, and Atsuko Nishigaki "Sources of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Fecal Pellets of a Marphysa Species (Annelida: Eunicidae) in the Yoro Tidal Flat, Japan," Zoological Science 40(4), 292-299, (23 June 2023). https://doi.org/10.2108/zs230020
Received: 8 March 2023; Accepted: 10 May 2023; Published: 23 June 2023
KEYWORDS
Annelida
bioremediation
fecal pellet
Marphysa
polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons
stable isotope ratio
Tidal flat
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