Metal Regulation, Tolerance, and Body Burdens in the Larvae of the Genus Chironomus

Bioaccumulation of metals are determined and compared for two populations of chironomid larvae collected from acidic lakes differing in their metal contamination. Results from laboratory experiments indicated that chironomid larvae from the more contaminated lake were able to regulate, or control their accumulation of Cu, Ni, and to some extent, Mn. Both populations regulated Zn, and neither population could regulate Pb or Cd. When larvae from …