Cadmium, Zinc and Copper Accumulation in Limpets (Patella vulgata) from the Bristol Channel with Special Reference to Metallothioneins

Abstract

The study of metal concentrations in Patella vulgata caught from a polluted environment reveals a direct relationship between Cd concentration and body size and an inverse relationship in regard to Zn and Cu. Most of the Cd present in limpets with heavy Cd loads is bound to thioneins, but this is not the case for Zn and Cu. In young limpets, Cd-thioneins were not detected. All results indicate that during long-term Cd intoxication under field conditions, Cd deposition and increase in metallothioneins in limpets were directly linked. The induced production of metallothioneins may thus be considered as the main mechanism responsible for the cumulative absorption of Cd in limpets living in the Bristol Channel. Isolation and characterization of limpet metallothioneins were performed. They indicate that mollusc metallothioneins are very similar to those from vertebrates.

Metal Concentrations in the Radula of the Common Limpet, Patella vulgata L., from 10 Sites in the UK

“…Limpets represent a molluscan group that has been seldom used in biomonitoring programmes although there is considerable information on their abilities to accumulate metals (Noe¨l-Lambot et al, 1980;Ramelow, 1985;Dı´az et al, 1992;Miramand and Bentley, 1992;Davies and Hatcher, 1999; see Bryan, 1984, for a review of earlier work). While limpets are present on almost all rocky shores worldwide, they lack the plasticity of mussels and do not survive as well in the laboratory.…”

“…Although there has been some work establishing where, within limpets, metals are accumulated (e.g. Noe¨l-Lambot et al, 1980;Ahn et al, 2002), none has examined the radula. This is surprising since the constant wearing of the radula by the animal means that its production site must be metabolically very active, hence metal ions in solution might easily become incorporated by substitution within its matrix.…”

Cadmium Uptake and Bioaccumulation inXenopus laevisEmbryos at Different Developmental Stages

“…1 and 2), could be related to an eventual enhancement of another defense mechanism, e.g., induction of metallothioneins (Mt). A relationship between Mt-bound cadmium and tissue-cadmium concentration (Noel-Lambot et al, 1980) is generally accepted, while on the other hand acclimation experiments to cadmium enhance metallothioneins synthesis in B. arenarum embryos (unpublished data obtained in this laboratory). Other features such as cytosolic molecules, membrane-limited vesicles, and the increase in the extracellular compartment that occur as development advances could be involved as mechanisms against cadmium toxicity toward the end of embryonic development.…”

Effects of Cu, Cd, V inPhysa acuta(draparnaud) I: Partial characterisation of chelating compounds

“…Metal-binding compounds have been described in marine Bivalves and Gasteropods (3,4,5). In particular, many reports indicate the presence of metallothioneins or chelatins in Mytilus (6,7) and Ostrea (8).…”