Using the exposure simulation experiment, the action of petroleum affecting the accumulation of the trace metals including copper （Cu） and cadmium （Cd） in littoral polychaete Nereis diversicolor collected from the Shuangtaizi Estuary in Liaoning Province, China was examined. The results showed that there was a markedly non-linear relationship between the accumulation of Cu in worms and the experimental concentration of Cu in exposure solutions when the concentration of petroleum remained at 0, 100, and 220 μl/L, respectively. However, significantly non-linear relationship for worms exposed to Cd was observed only when the concentration of added petroleum was 0 and 220 μl/L. The accumulation of Cu in worms did not differ significantly among the three different levels of petroleum concentrations combined with various concentrations of Cu. So was the accumulation of Cd in worms （p〉0.05）. However, the addition of petroleum in exposure solutions brought about an increase in the accumulation of Cu in Nereis diversicolor, in comparison with single Cu pollution. On the other hand, when the concentration of added petroleum remained at 100 μl/L, the accumulation of Cd in worms was lower than that in worms exposed to various concentrations of only cadmium. However, the worms exposed to Cd and petroleum 220 μl/L did not show obvious and identical increase in the accumulation of Cd, compared with single Cd exposure. The accumulation of both Cu and Cd in worms did not increase significantly with the increases in concentrations of Cu or Cd in exposure solutions combined with petroleum （0, 100, and 220μl/L） under the experimental conditions. Although Nereis diversicolor is exposed to very high Cu and Cd in exposure solutions, accumulation and detoxification mechanisms are sufficient to cope with the extra metal influx in order to survive.
The ecotoxicological effects of heavy metals and petroleum hydrocarbons （PHCs） on ragworms are still vague. The relationships between toxicological indices （mortality and acetylcholinesterase （ACHE） activity） and concentrations of toxicants （Cu, Cd, and PHCs） were examined in the estuary keystone species Perinereis aibuhitensis in laboratory conditions. The results of single toxicant indicated that three toxicants had potentially physiological toxicity to P. aibuhitensis. The estimated 4-d and 10-d LC50 for Cu, Cd, and PHCs was derived from the relationships between mortality and toxicants concentrations. Notable changes in the morphological signs and symptoms of P. aibuhitensis exposed to PHCs were observed. The ACHE activity of P. aibuhitensis was more sensitive to the toxicity of PHCs than the others. The results of combined toxicants implied that the combined toxicity of Cu or Cd and PHCs to P. aibuhitensis was related to the concentration combination of toxicants. Compared to single PHCs treatment, the addition of Cu or Cd significantly mitigated the neurotoxicity of PHCs to ACHE activity in P. aibuhitensis, which showed an antagonistic effect.
Using the concentration gradient and combined pollutant exposure method, the single and joint effects of petroleum hydrocarbons （PHCs） and cadmium （Cd） on polychaete Perinereis aibuhitensis Grube, an ecologically keystone species in estuarine and coastal environment, have been investigated. The results indicate that the toxicity of PHCs to P. aibuhitensis is stronger than that of Cd to the organism. There are positive correlations between the mortality of worms and the exposed concentration of single Cd or PHCs in solution. Similarly, the accumulation of Cd or PHCs in worms increased with increasing Cd- or PHC-exposed concentrations. All the correlation relationships can be described using unitary quadratic equations （Y or Z = aX^2 ＋ bX ＋ c）. It is calculated, on the basis of these expressions, that the median lethal dose （LC50） ofP aibuhitensis exposed to a single Cd or PHCs is 793.4-13567.3 and 28.0-119.9 μg/L, respectively. The exposed time has some stimulative effect on the two pollutants and on the mortality of the worms. Thus, even a low concentration of a single Cd or PHCs may have strong toxic effects on the worms when the exposed time becomes longer. The accumulation of Cd or PHCs in worms differs with an increase in exposure time at the given exposed concentration of a single Cd or PHCs. Noticeably, the accumulation of PHCs in worms decreases with an increase in exposure time at the given high concentration of PHCs in solution. The joint effect of PHCs and Cd on P. aibuhitensis is very complicated and changes with the exposed concentrations of the two pollutants. At the given concentration of PHCs, the joint toxicity of the two pollutants on the worms changes from synergism to antagonism with an increase in Cd concentration. The accumulation of Cd in the worms significantly decreases with the addition of PHCs to exposure solution.
