Radionuclides levels were determined in indigenous and transplanted mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) collected from Turkish marine environment. Radioactivity concentrations of 137Cs, 40K, 226Ra, 228Ra, 210Po and 210Pb were determined in the soft tissues of the mussel samples collected in Bosphorus Strait, Coasts of Black Sea, Marmara Sea and Aegean Sea. Mussel transplantation was carried out by using mussel cages in Levantine Sea coast since M. galloprovincialis did not naturally adapt along the coast. The average activity concentrations of 137Cs, 40K, 226Ra, 228Ra, 210Po and 210Pb in the coastline of Turkey were found to be 0.7±0.1, 469±24, 0.9±0.1, 1.0±0.1, 122±4 and 10.9±0.9Bqkg−1 in dry weight (dw), respectively. The average of 210Po/210Pb ratio was found to be ∼14. Total annual effective 210Po dose was calculated to be in the range of 0.25–3.30 μSv due to mussel consumption. Radioactivity and dose levels were compared with those of similar studies carried out in Mediterranean countries.

The Golden Horn is an estuary located in the center of İstanbul receiving freshwater discharges from two creeks and connecting to the Bosphorus Strait. Activity concentrations of natural and artificial radionuclides were determined in mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) and sediments from the Golden Horn sampled in February 2012. Mean activity concentrations of 137Cs, 40K, 226Ra, 228Ra, 210Po and 210Pb in the mussels were determined at 1.03±0.23, 389±41.6, 2.61±1.23, not detected (ND), 91.96±37.88 and 11.48±4.85Bqkg−1, respectively. In sediments, it was observed that 137Cs, 40K, 226Ra, 228Ra, 210Po and 210Pb activity concentrations in<63μm particle fraction of sediment were generally higher than those determined in mussels. Po-210 and 210Po/210Pb ratios in mussels from the Golden Horn were much lower than in mussels from other coastal regions and this was related to low plankton productivity and eutrophication of the Golden Horn.

Mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) from the Turkish Straits Systems were analyzed for sixteen parent polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) contents by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). This marine organism was selected because of its multitude, wide distribution, being bio indicator for the pollution and consumption by humans. Total PAH concentrations ranged from 1.2 to 589μgg−1 in Istanbul Strait, 0.94–36.4μgg−1 in Marmara Sea and 0.4–47.9μgg−1 in Çanakkale Strait during the samplings. According to the results Istanbul and Çanakkale Straits are more polluted than the Marmara Sea.

The concentrations of metals in the mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis (Lamarck, 1819) prevalent along the west coast of the Cape Peninsula, Cape Town are presented. The mussels were sampled during the routine “Mussel Watch Programme” (MWP) between 1985 and 2008. Levels of Cu, Cd, Pb, Zn, Hg, Fe and Mn at Cape Point, Hout Bay, Sea Point, Milnerton and Bloubergstrand were analysed for autumn and spring and showed consistent similar mean values for the five sites. There was a highly significant temporal (annual and seasonal) difference between all metals as well as a significant difference in metal concentrations between the five sites. The concentrations of Zn, Fe, Cd and Pb were higher than previous investigations and possibly indicative of anthropogenic sources of metals. The results provide a strong motivation to increase efforts in marine pollution research in the area.

The present study gives a summary using state-of-the-art technology to monitor Posidonia oceanica and Mytilus galloprovincialis as bioindicators of the pollution of the Mediterranean littoral with trace elements (TEs), and discusses their complementarity and specificities in terms of TE bioaccumulation. Furthermore, this study presents two complementary indices, the Trace Element Spatial Variation Index (TESVI) and the Trace Element Pollution Index (TEPI): these indices were shown to be relevant monitoring tools since they led to the ordering of TEs according to the overall spatial variability of their environmental levels (TESVI) and to the relevant comparison of the global TE pollution between monitored sites (TEPI). In addition, this study also discusses some underestimated aspects of P. oceanica and M. galloprovincialis bioaccumulation behaviour, with regard to their life style and ecophysiology. It finally points out the necessity of developing consensual protocols between monitoring surveys in order to publish reliable and comparable results.

A multidisciplinary approach was used to estimate the pollution level of the marine environment in the North Eastern Adriatic by measurement of the isotopic composition of carbon and nitrogen (δ13C, δ15N), metal/metalloids analyses (Fe, Cu, Zn, As, Se, Cd and Pb, including As speciation) in the Mytilus galloprovincialis, as well by using metallothioneins (MT) concentrations, micronuclei (MN) in gill cells and biological parameters (condition index and gonadosomatic index). Concentrations of MT were in the range from 44 to 175μgg−1 wet matter tissue and were higher at the end of the winter season. The frequency of MN did not indicate an elevated level. Sewage sludge pollution was not confirmed. Elevated As concentrations in mussel are related to salinity and low nutrients concentrations and not to pollution. Elevated concentrations of Cu, Zn and Pb were found in the Bay of Koper in comparison with the Bays of Strunjan and Piran.

The bioavailability and toxicity of copper (Cu) in Shelter Island Yacht Basin (SIYB), San Diego, CA, USA, was assessed with simultaneous toxicological, chemical, and modeling approaches. Toxicological measurements included laboratory toxicity testing with Mytilus galloprovincialis (Mediterranean mussel) embryos added to both site water (ambient) and site water spiked with multiple Cu concentrations. Chemical assessment of ambient samples included total and dissolved Cu concentrations, and Cu complexation capacity measurements. Modeling was based on chemical speciation and predictions of bioavailability and toxicity using a marine Biotic Ligand Model (BLM). Cumulatively, these methods assessed the natural buffering capacity of Cu in SIYB during singular wet and dry season sampling events. Overall, the three approaches suggested negligible bioavailability, and isolated observed or predicted toxicity, despite an observed gradient of increasing Cu concentration, both horizontally and vertically within the water body, exceeding current water quality criteria for saltwater.

In order to assess the environmental quality of the Bizerte lagoon (Tunisia), biomarker and contaminant levels were measured in Mediterranean mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) from five selected sites. Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) were quantified in whole body and enzyme activities such as acetylcholinesterase (AChE), catalase (CAT) and glutathione S-transferase (GST) in gills. Despite the relatively low levels of organic contaminants, the selected biomarkers responded differently according to the pollution level at the different sites. GST and AChE activities were correlated with the amount of DDTs in mussel tissues. These two enzymatic activities were also correlated to temperature and pH. No significant difference was observed for CAT activity. Principal component analysis showed a clear separation of sampling sites in three different assemblages which is consistent with POP body burden in mussels. Our results confirmed the usefulness of combining biomarker and chemical analyses in mussels to assess chemical pollution in the Bizerte lagoon.

It now is widely recognised that the global temperature is rising, a phenomenon which could alter the effects of pollution on wildlife. In order to assess the role of temperature and exposure to chlorine due to cooling water discharges, a battery of metabolic, oxidative stress and histological parameters were evaluated in Mytilus galloprovincialis after 15 and 30 days at 15 °C and at two increased temperatures (+5 and +10 °C). Diverse gill pathologies such as haemolymphatic sinus dilatation, an increased number of mucocytes and granulocytes as well as a lower number of cilia were observed after 30 days exposure at higher temperatures. Protein, amino acid, triglyceride and fatty acid levels decreased when the temperature increased, as a consequence of higher energetic demand. Similarly, acetylcholinesterase, catalase and glutathione S-transferase activities showed an inhibition at higher temperatures, although gill lipid peroxidation levels remained unaffected. Our results suggest that increased temperatures induce deterioration in the health status of the mussels and in their defensive capacity against a polluted environment.

Mussel (Mytilus galloprovincialis (Lamarck, 1819)) is directly exposed to sea water contamination that elicits significant physiological and cellular response, although its extent mounted in aquaculture-reared in comparison to wild bivalve populations is scarcely known. Therefore, we have compared contamination biomarkers in mussels from reared (Marina farm) and wild, anthropogenically affected site (Vranjic Bay). While predictably, the levels of metals (Cu, Cd, Pb, Zn, Fe, and Hg) in whole bivalve tissues determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry resulted in significantly higher concentrations in wild mussels, accompanied by elevated number of apoptotic cells in gills, the activity of multixenobiotic resistance defense mechanism (MXR), measured as the accumulation rate of model substrate rhodamine B (RB) gave contrasting results. The functional RB assay evidenced a lower MXR efflux activity in the gill tissue of wild mussels, indicating two possible scenarios that will need further focus: (1) persisting sea water pollution increased cell damage of bivalve gill cells and consequently led to leakage of the RB into cytoplasm and dysfunctional MXR efflux in wild mussels; or/and (2) a mixture of different toxic compounds present in Vranjic Bay sea water induced oversaturation of MXR efflux, inducing elevated accumulation of the dye. Consequently, it seems that an efficient physiological functioning of MXR in wild mussels is strongly hampered by existence of an unknown quantity of sea water pollutants that may endanger intrinsic organismal defense system and lead toward the enhancement of toxicity.