Experimental data on the effects of heavy metal compounds on the development, survival, and bioaccumulation patterns in Calliphora vicina larvae
Data files
Dec 12, 2025 version files 9.34 KB
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Fialho_2025.zip
7.09 KB
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README.md
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Abstract
This dataset contains experimental data obtained from laboratory assays investigating the effects of increasing concentrations of heavy metal compounds on the development, survival, and bioaccumulation in Calliphora vicina larvae. Individuals were exposed to different concentrations of arsenic trioxide, phenylmercury acetate, cadmium acetate, and lead acetate, and responses were measured in terms of larval length, weight, and survival rate. Bioaccumulation was assessed by comparing the metal concentrations to which larvae were exposed with those detected in larval tissues after the rearing period, as well as concentration measurements of substrate and larval samples. It also contains both raw and processed survival data, in which the number of surviving larvae was recorded.
Paper: Detection of arsenic, mercury, cadmium and lead compounds in Calliphora vicina (Diptera: Calliphoridae) larvae and their potential impact on larval development
Paper Authors: Ana Catarina Fialho; Vasco Branco; Edite Oliveira-Torres; Cristina Carvalho; Alexandre Quintas; Carlos Família; Paulo Mascarenhas
Description: This README file describes the data used to conduct this study.
Files: Fialho_2025.zip
- 1. development_data.csv: includes data of the length (mm) and weight (mg) measurements made on Calliphora vicina larvae that developed in different concentrations of each heavy metal compound tested. The first column refers to the metal compound tested - As for arsenic trioxide; Hg for phenylmercury acetate; Pb for lead acetate; and Cd for cadmium acetate. The remaining columns include the concentration of each heavy metal compound (in mg/kg); length (in mm) and weight (in mg) of Calliphora vicina larva individuals.
- 2. raw_survival_data.csv: includes raw survival rate data of Calliphora vicina reared on increasing concentrations of each heavy metal compound. The first and second columns refer to the metal and concentration (in mg/kg) tested, as described in the previous file; the third and forth colums include the number of eggs in the begining and at the end of each assay; survival and mortality rates (in percentage) were calculated for the remaining columns.
- 3. processed_survival_data.csv: includes the average survival rate (in percentage) calculated from raw data, for each concentration tested for each heavy metal compound. This data was used to then calculate de Lethal Dose 50 mentioned in the article.
- 4. bioaccumulation_data.csv: includes the metal concentration measurements of each sample. The first column describes the samples used. The naming of the samples was assigned using the following scheme- "S" refers to substrate, "L" refers to larvae; "As", "Hg", "Pb", and "Cd" refer to arsenic, mercury, lead and cadmium, respectively; "0", "0.5", "5", "30", "60" refer to the concentration level. The second column describes dry weight (d.w.) direct concentration measurements (in ppm). The final column refer to the wet weight (w.w.) concentration of each sample.
Development data were recorded by individually measuring larval length using a ruler and larval weight using an analytical balance.
Survival raw data were obtained by counting the number of initially hatched eggs and the number of surviving larvae at the end of the experiment, including those showing signs of impaired health. Processed survival data were generated by calculating the mean survival rate for each concentration level of each heavy metal compound, which was then used to determine the lethal dose 50 (LD50).
Bioaccumulation data were obtained by directly measuring metal concentrations in larval and substrate samples using atomic spectroscopy techniques. Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry (ICP-OES) was used for arsenic, lead, and cadmium analyses, while Cold Vapor Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (CV-AAS) was used for mercury determination. Wet-weight concentrations were calculated by applying a conversion factor.