Abstract

A series of radiotracer studies were conducted to evaluate the influence of water temperature and/or body size on the clearance rates and uptake rates of Cd, Se and Zn in the Asiatic clam, Corbicula fluminea, Asian clam Potamocorbula amurensis and Balthic clam, Macoma balthica. Uptake rates of Cd, Se and Zn were estimated simultaneously with clearance rate of clams under 3 different water temperature conditions (5, 13 and <TEX>$21^{\circ}C$</TEX>). The weight specific clearance and metal uptake rates of P. amurensiswere increased with temperature, however, no consistent temperature effect was observed for the other clams. The variation of uptake rates of Cd, Se and Zn along with temperature or body size in each clam species was well associated with clearance rates. The inter-species as well as the intra-species difference of metal uptake rates could be well explained by the variation of clearance rates of clam individuals.