Anthropogenic influence on mussels in marinas of the Adriatic Sea: distribution of heavy metals, metallothioneins and Cellular Energy Allocation

摘要

Anthropogenic influence in coastal areas regarding heavy metals can be studied in various ways. In our study, combination of physiological and biological approach in two indicator tissues, digestive gland and gills, from indigenous mussel (Mytilus galloprovincialis) was used to determine differences between mussels from marinas and unpolluted area as a reference location. Physiological state of organism, including energy storing and energy consumption, was estimated using Cellular Energy Allocation (CEA) as physiological biomarker. Metallothioneins (MT), as a biomarker of the metal exposure will be analysed by differential pulse voltammetry. Additionally, metals bound to proteins other than MT pool will be investigated in order to provide a more complete understanding of potential mechanisms of toxicity. Distribution of metals bound to cytosolic biomolecules of different size will be determined by size-exclusion high performance liquid chromatography (SEC-HPLC) in combination with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). CEA parameters showed seasonal variation which may be the consequence of increased food consumption after phytoplankton bloom. Mussels from reference location had lower CEA than from marinas what is not in accordance with available contamination data, but can be a result of rich food sources in the marinas. Investigations of MT and metal fractionation are in progress. Upon completing the planned work, all results will be integrated.