Summary
Macquarie Island currently has no specific water quality guidelines to indicate a safe level of contamination on the island. This study investigated the toxic effects and accumulation of Cu and Zn in the subantarctic invertebrate, Exosphaeroma gigas. Further to this, the effects of an increasing temperature (5.5, 10 and 15oC) were also tested. Juvenile E.gigas showed a greater sensitivity to Zn than Cu, while the toxicity of Cu appeared to be temperature dependant in adult isopods. Isopods were shown to accumulate both Cu and Zn, however, Cu showed a greater uptake rate. Biodynamic modelling illustrated that temperature was not significantly influencing the uptake or efflux rate although there was indication that isopods were capable of storing Cu in a slow metabolic pool or detoxified form.