Evaluation of the multiple biomarkers on identification of the vulnerable coastal pollution hotspots

• Published in: Environmental science and pollution research international Vol. 23; no. 22; pp. 23281 - 23290
• Main Authors: Hariharan, G., Purvaja, R., Robin, R.S., Ramesh, R.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01-11-2016; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Accumulation; Animals; Aquatic organisms; Aquatic Pollution; Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution; Bioassays; Bioindicators; Biomarkers; Biomarkers - analysis; Cadmium; Canals; Chemical analysis; Chromium; Climate change; Coasts; Contaminants; Earth and Environmental Science; Ecotoxicology; Environment; Environmental Chemistry; Environmental Health; Environmental Monitoring; Environmental Pollution - analysis; Heavy metals; India; Indicator species; Industrial areas; Metal concentrations; Metals; Metals, Heavy - analysis; Mollusks; Perna - chemistry; Perna viridis; Pollutants; Pollution; Proteins; Research Article; Seawater; Seawater - chemistry; Shellfish; Toxicity; Urban areas; Waste Water Technology; Water analysis; Water Management; Water Pollutants, Chemical - analysis; Water Pollution Control; Water sampling; India; ISW, India, Tamil Nadu, Chennai Dist., Ennore; ISW, India; ISW, India, Kerala, Kovalam; Perna viridis; Bivalves; Multiple biomarker and bioindicators; Heavy metals
• ISSN: 0944-1344; 1614-7499
• DOI: 10.1007/s11356-016-7548-6

This paper presents multiple biomarkers on metal accumulation and its impacts along the Chennai to Puducherry, southeast coast of India using bivalves as bioindicators. In this regard, water samples and
Perna viridis
were collected from three stations and the accumulation of metals and its biological impacts were assessed. Among the three sampling stations, the maximum accumulation was noticed in Ennore (S1) than the Puducherry (S3) followed by Kovalam (S2). Mean accumulation pattern of metals in
Perna viridis
was found to be in the following order Zn > Cu > Ni > Cr > Pb > Cd, which were in close match with the metal concentration in seawater at respective site. The ambient metal concentration and behavior of multiple biomarkers were positively correlated indicating that the uptake of metals might induce biological changes, particularly in the internal organs, thus significantly affecting health of the aquatic organisms.
P. viridis
provides reliable information concerning the adverse effects and reflects the integrated effects of all contaminants. Thus, study confirmed that Ennore (S1) coast is highly vulnerable for significant pollution, in terms of metal toxicity in the study area. Overall investigation revealed that metal enrichment was observed close to the major urban areas in the S1 and S2 which were associated with industrialized areas. The assessment of multiple biomarkers on metal accumulation was the first step in determining the trophic transfer factors on marine foot web, which can be evaluated in the future based on this study.