Experimental evidence that copper is taken up by the freshwater snail Bulinus tropicus through a process of adsorption

Abstract

In this investigation the mechanism of copper uptake by freshwater snails was examined. The experiments investigated the following: the uptake of copper by the snail, the release of copper from the snail, the decrease of copper in the exposure medium, and the relationship between copper uptake and snail metabolism. The results of the investigation provide evidence that copper is taken up by a process of adsorption rather than by active absorption.