Metal handling strategies in molluscs

Seasonal variation and partitioning of endocrine disrupting chemicals in waters and sediments of the Pearl River system, South China

“…Only a small proportion of the particulate or organic carbon-associated loading could result in significant uptake and effects in benthic organisms which are in direct contact with sediments (Langston et al, 1998(Langston et al, , 2005. However, the process of EDCs transferring from sediments to biota could be related with the sorption mechanisms.…”

The Influence of the Biometric Parameters on Metallothionein and Metal Level in the Heat-Treated Cytosol of the Whole Soft Tissue of Transplanted Mussels

“…It is known that metal accumulation is enhanced by the synthesis of metal-binding proteins, like MTs (Dallinger, 1995;Langston et al, 1998). On the other hand, MT mass partition obtained in this study (median value approximately 5.5-7.5 mg g -1 ) was twice as high as the MT mass partition (2-3 mg g -1 ) reported by Bebianno and Langston (1992) as typical for the whole soft tissue of mussels Mytilus galloprovincialis collected at sites free from cadmium pollution.…”

“…Correction of growth-related variability in metal and MT concentrations is of major consideration in improving the interpretation of field data by reducing the contribution of biometric parameters in order to better resolve the biological effects of accumulated metals (Langston et al, 1998). Martinčić et al (1992) suggested that, because of biological similarities and better reproducibility of the results, the transplanted mussels are more suitable for monitoring of trace metals than indigenous mussels, as originally proposed by the "Mussel Watch" programme (Goldberg et al, 1978).…”

Partitioning, bioavailability and effects of oestrogens and xeno-oestrogens in the aquatic environment

“…Until more detailed knowledge of assimilation routes and rates are obtained for EDs such as E2, EE2 and APs, across a range of taxonomic groups and feeding types, there remains a great deal of uncertainty in using BCFs to predict and assess risks to the environment. Because sediments may concentrate these compounds perhaps hundreds to thousands of times higher than in the water column, biological availability of only a small proportion of the particulate loading could result in significant uptake (and effects) -especially in filter-feeders and other benthic invertebrate organisms which are in direct content with sediments (Langston et al, 1998). The process and rates of transfer of EDs from sediments to biota are outstanding scientific issues to be addressed in order to predict long-term consequences.…”