One-year monitoring survey of organic compounds (PAHs, PCBs, TBT), heavy metals and biomarkers in blue mussels from the Arcachon Bay, France

Abstract

Marine mussels Mytilus sp. were transplanted on a monthly basis in cages over one year to oyster farms and harbours in the Arcachon Bay (France) in order to assess the water quality of the bay. Contaminant levels (organotin compounds, trace metals, PCBs and PAHs) were measured in tissues of transplanted mussels and mussels from a reference station, along with physiological parameters of the mussels (condition indexes, lipid content and dry weight). Four biomarkers (AChE: acetylcholinesterase activity, GST: gluthathione S-transferase activity, CAT: catalase activity and TBARS: thiobarbituric acid-reactive substance content) were also monitored. The remote stations monitored (oyster parks) exhibited no accumulation pattern of pollutants. Their respective concentrations therefore constitute a background level of the contamination in the bay ([TBT]= 30 ng Sn g(-1) dw, [SigmaHAPs]= 100 ng g(-1) dw, [SigmaPCBs]= 35 ng g(-1) dw). The elevated chemical contamination of the largest harbour of the bay, the Arcachon harbour, can be interpreted in terms of persistence of organotin compounds ([SigmaOTs]= 1500-2000 ng Sn g(-1) dw) and PAHs ([SigmaHAPs]= 4500-5000 ng g(-1) dw) in sediments and, to a lesser extent, of direct inputs of copper ([Cu]= 20 microg g(-1) dw in harbours versus 7 in oyster parks) and petrogenic PAHs ([methylphenanthrenes]= 1600 ng g(-1) dw in the dockyard versus 170 at the gas stations), related to the use of copper-based antifouling paints and to dockyard activity, respectively. However, the Arcachon Bay presents a low contamination level by PCBs and metals, including harbour stations. Furthermore, higher levels of other PAHs (particularly alkyl PAHs such as methylphenanthrenes/1600 ng g(-1) dw) not included in the 16 PAHs from the EPA priority list (usually studied in biomonitoring programmes/1500 ng g(-1) dw) in the Arcachon harbour underline the need to integrate these compounds in biomonitoring of highly PAH-polluted areas such as harbours in order to avoid misinterpretation of the biological responses observed. Biomarker responses were not able to discriminate the different chemical contamination levels recorded in the Arcachon Bay and rather reflected changes in environmental factors. Furthermore, the strong intraspecies variability of biological responses could be due to genetic differences of mussels from the Arcachon Bay. It is the first time that such an integrated monitoring is performed in the Arcachon Bay, also taking into account seasonal variations of chemical contents and biomarkers levels in mussel tissues.

Integrated assessment of water quality of the Costa da Morte (Galicia, NW Spain) by means of mussel chemical, biochemical and physiological parameters

“…In this way, they are capable of resisting high levels of chemical contamination and of bioconcentrating xenobiotics to more than a thousand times background levels, which can facilitate chemical analysis. The usefulness of mussels as bioindicators is greatly increased when chemical analyses are integrated with data on the biological effects of pollutants (Bayne et al 1988;Cajaraville et al 2000;Devier et al 2005). In this context, both laboratory and field studies have demonstrated that different biochemical, cellular and physiological indexes may be useful in marine organisms as biomarkers of exposure or damage due to chemical pollution (Lam and Gray 2003).…”

Organotin Compounds and Selected Metals in the Marine Environment of Northern Adriatic Sea

“…Bivalves are suitable organisms for biomonitoring toxic elements and chemical compounds in the marine environment. Among them mussels have been intensively investigated from the ecotoxicological points of view as well as food safety, since they exhibit high potential for biomonitoring and represent one of the important seafood products for human consumption (Rivaro et al, 1997;Da Ros, 2000;Gallina et al, 2000;Chase et al, 2001;Besada et al, 2002;Adami et al, 2002;Szefer et al, 2004;Devier et al, 2005).…”

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and organochlorine pesticides in rice hull from a typical e-waste recycling area in southeast China: temporal trend, source, and exposure assessment

“…The RPAH level in this study was far higher than that in rice (mean value: 2.19 ng/g fresh weight) collected from local markets of Catalonia, Spain (Perelló et al 2009), over 2 times higher than that in hull (95.7 ng/g dry weight) collected from a paddy field in Tianjin, one of the most heavily contaminated areas with PAHs in China (Tao et al 2006), and lower than that in blue mussel Mytilus sp. (432 ng/g dry weight) collected from harbors in Arcachon Bay, France (Devier et al 2005). The results indicate that serious PAH contamination exists in foodstuff in the tested area, which might be likely originated from local large-scale e-waste recycling activities.…”