Mercury concentration in the land snailEobania verm#xED;culata,in plants, soil and air has been carried out in an area affected by a chlor#x2010;alkali complex to evaluate the bioaccumulation processes in a primary consumer. Very low values were measured in the snail shell (0.001#x2013;0.020 #x3BC;g g#x2010;1d.w.), while in the soft tissue values (0.03#x2013;0.72 #x3BC;g g#x2010;1d.w.) comparable to those present in the plants were observed.The high mercury levels (0.20#x2013;5.97 #x3BC;g g#x2010;1d.w.) found in the snail gut seem to indicate the presence of a detoxification mechanism preventing the bioaccumulation of the metal. However mercury is transferred by the snail to the subsequent levels of the food chain.
展开▼
