An ecotoxicological approach for the Boka Kotorska Bay (south-eastern Adriatic Sea): First evaluation of lysosomal responses and metallothionein induction in mussels

• Published in: Marine pollution bulletin Vol. 63; no. 5-12; pp. 326 - 333
• Main Authors: Da Ros, L., Moschino, V., Macic, V., Schintu, M.
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01-01-2011; Elsevier
• Subjects: Animal and plant ecology; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Animals; Applied ecology; Biological and medical sciences; biomarkers; Biomarkers - metabolism; Biomonitoring; Boka Kotorska Bay; copper; Digestive System - metabolism; ecosystems; Ecotoxicology; Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution; Environmental Monitoring - methods; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gonads - metabolism; Invertebrates; Lysosomes; Lysosomes - drug effects; Lysosomes - metabolism; Marine; Marine and brackish environment; metallothionein; Metallothionein - metabolism; Metallothioneins; Mollusca; mussels; Mytilus - drug effects; Mytilus - metabolism; Mytilus galloprovincialis; Oceans and Seas; Sea water ecosystems; Synecology; Water Pollutants, Chemical - toxicity; water pollution; zinc; Mediterranean Sea; Adriatic Sea; MED, Montenegro; MED, Adriatic Sea; Lysosomes; Biomonitoring; Mytilus galloprovincialis; Metallothioneins; Boka Kotorska Bay; Evaluation; Ecotoxicology; Induction; Lysosome; Metalloproteins; Biological monitoring; Marine environment; Bivalvia; Bay; Invertebrata; Mollusca; Metallothionein
• ISSN: 0025-326X; 1879-3363
• DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2011.03.015

Mytilus galloprovincialis was used as a biomonitoring organism in Boka Kotorska Bay, a coastal transitional ecosystem in south-western Montenegro. Native mussels were collected in June 2008 at four sites thought to be differently impacted. Biological effects were investigated analysing both generic and specific biomarkers at cellular level (metallothionein content, lysosomal membrane stability, lipofuscin and neutral lipid accumulation, lysosomal structural changes). Trace element levels in mussels were quite low, only Cu and Zn exhibiting slight increases in the two sampling sites of Tivat Bay, the first one in front of a small working dockyard and the other in the water area of a former Naval dockyard. Mussels collected from these sites exhibited the highest values in neutral lipid and lysosomal volume density and the lowest neutral red retention times. Metallothionein content was always low, reflecting the minor body burden of the trace elements and suggesting a non-relevant environmental induction.