Table 1.
Nominal and actual concentrations of metals (Cd, Ni, Zn) in food and in beetles before metal exposure (C I0), estimated toxicokinetic parameters (k A – assimilation rate constant, k E – elimination rate constant) and R 2 for the classic one-compartment model, bioaccumulation factor (BAF = k A /k E), equilibrium concentration, i.e. the concentration expected in beetles at a specific external metal concentration in food (C E ) at t∞ (C eq = C E k A /k E) and survival (%) for Pterostichus oblongopunctatus exposed to metal-contaminated food. Metal concentrations are reported as means ± SD, estimated toxicokinetic parameters are given with 95 % confidence intervals
| Metal | Metal concentration in contaminated food | Metal concentration in control food | C I0 | k A | k E | R 2 | BAF | C eq | Survival | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nominal | Actual | |||||||||
| [mM kg−1] | [mM kg−1] | [mM kg−1] | [day−1] | [day−1] | % | [mM kg−1] | % | |||
| Cd | 40 | 49.9 ± 5.4 | 0.002 ± 5.4 × 10−5 | 1.21 × 10−3 ± 1.58 × 10−3 | 0.038 (0.013–0.063) | 1.32 (0.445–2.185) | 0.029 | 20.8 | 1.44 | 89 |
| Ni | 40 | 41.53 ± 1.1 | 0.29* | 0.23 ± 0.195 | 0.033 (0.015–0.051) | 0.70 (0.315–1.085) | 0.046 | 15.0 | 1.95 | 93 |
| Zn | 40 | 40.81 ± 1.0 | 4.45 ± 0.122 | 1.17 ± 0.029 | 0.079 (0.013–0.144) | 1.64 (0.290–2.991) | 0.048 | 8.3 | 1.96 | 78 |
*– only one result out of three samples is reported; the remaining two samples were below the detection limit