engleski

Pelagic ecosystem and the assessment of metal exposure using caged blue mussels (Mytilus edulis)

Blue mussels (Mytilus edulis), transferred from the clean site were caged during 5 weeks along the designated transect in the German Bight and Statfjord oilfield area. Metallothionein (MT) and metal content were determined in a heat-treated S50 (supernatant isolated at 50000 g) fraction of the whole tissue of mussels in each individual. In general, high individual variability of all measured parameters was documented. Statistically significant differences in median MT values between zero-time and 2 stations in the German Bight indicated metal exposure. In contrast, statistical analysis of median MT values at zero-time and at 4 Statfjord oilfield stations did not show statistically significant differences. When the data were expressed as MT burden, the most striking feature appeared to be that the highest values were found at reference stations G4 and S4, which raised the question of proper selection of the reference stations. In the heat-treated cytosol, the MT content was related to the concentrations of metals, known as inducers of MT. Determined constitutive levels of MT reflect the exposure of blue mussels to the essential metals Cu and Zn.

metallothionein, heavy metals, blue mussel Mytilus edulis

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