Bioaccumulation and effects of the contraceptive hormone levonorgestrel were examined in the non-target organism Dreissena polymorpha. Molecular biomarkers of biotransformation, elimination, antioxidant defence and protein damage were analyzed after exposure to increasing concentrations of levonorgestrel in a flow-through system. The lowest concentration (0.312 μg L⁻¹) was 100-fold bioconcentrated within four days. A decrease of the bioconcentration factor was observed within one week for the highest test concentrations (3.12 and 6.24 μg L⁻¹) suggesting enhanced excretory processes. The immediate mRNA up-regulation of pi class glutathione S-transferase proved that phase II biotransformation processes were induced. Disturbance of fundamental cell functions was assumed since the aryl hydrocarbon receptor has been permanently down-regulated. mRNA up-regulation of P-glycoprotein, superoxide dismutase and metallothioneine suggested enhanced elimination processes and ongoing oxidative stress. mRNA up-regulation of heat shock protein 70 in mussels exposed to the two highest concentrations clearly indicated impacts on protein damage.

Sediment quality guidelines (SQGs) assess the ability of bottom sediment to sustain healthy infauna and water quality guidelines (WQGs) provide protection for a designated percentage of aquatic species. Filter-feeding marine species, e.g. oysters and mussels, acquire food from particles in the water column and protection of these animals is not provided by SQGs or WQGs. The current work investigated the relationship between metal (Cu, Zn) concentrations in total and fine-fraction (<62.5μm) surficial sediment digested in a range of acids and chelating agents and oyster tissue metal concentrations. A strong correlation between oyster tissue Cu and Zn concentrations and fine-fraction surficial sediment digested in 1M HCl provided a sedimentary guideline which predicted tissue metal concentrations in oysters and established a level (<45μgg⁻¹ and <1000μgg⁻¹, respectively) for protecting oysters from exceeding human consumption levels (70μgg⁻¹ and 1000μgg⁻¹, respectively).

Marine mussels (Mytilus edulis) were exposed to seawater spiked with tritiated water (HTO) at a dose rate of 122 and 79 μGy h⁻¹ for 7 and 14 days, respectively, and tritiated glycine (T-Gly) at a dose rate of 4.9 μGy h⁻¹ over 7 days. This was followed by depuration in clean seawater for 21 days. Tissues (foot, gills, digestive gland, mantle, adductor muscle and byssus) and DNA extracts from tissues were analysed for their tritium activity concentrations. All tissues demonstrated bio-accumulation of tritium from HTO and T-Gly. Tritium from T-Gly showed increased incorporation into DNA compared to HTO. About 90% of the initial activity from HTO was depurated within one day, whereas T-Gly was depurated relatively slowly, indicating that tritium may be bound with different affinities in tissues. Both forms of tritium caused a significant induction of micronuclei in the haemocytes of mussels. Our findings identify significant differential impacts on Mytilus edulis of the two chemical forms of tritium and emphasise the need for a separate classification and control of releases of tritiated compounds, to adequately protect the marine ecosystem.

Chloride concentrations in surface waters have increased significantly, a rise attributed to road salt use. In Canada, this may be a concern for endangered freshwater mussels, many with ranges limited to southern Ontario, Canada’s most road-dense region. The acute toxicity of NaCl was determined for glochidia, the mussel’s larval stage. The 24h EC50s of four (including two Canadian endangered) species ranged from 113–1430mgClL⁻¹ (reconstituted water, 100mg CaCO₃L⁻¹). To determine how mussels would respond to a chloride pulse, natural river water (hardness 278–322mg CaCO₃L⁻¹) was augmented with salt. Lampsilis fasciola glochidia were significantly less sensitive to salt in natural water (EC50s 1265–1559mg Cl L⁻¹) than in reconstituted water (EC50 285mgL⁻¹). Chloride data from mussel habitats revealed chloride reaches levels acutely toxic to glochidia (1300mgL⁻¹). The increased salinization of freshwater could negatively impact freshwater mussels, including numerous species at risk.

This work analyzes the influence of environmental and physiological parameters on PAHs accumulation in cultured mussels. Lipid content and reproductive stage are directly related with PAHs accumulation pattern. We observed a rapid accumulation and depuration of PAHs, mainly during periods of nutrients accumulation, spawns and gonadic restorations. Correlations between PAHs accumulation and physiological status indicate when mussels are more susceptible to adverse effects of these pollutants. A positive correlation between mutagenic congener’s accumulation and occurrence of gonadic neoplastic disorders is shown for the first time in mussels. Molecular indices were used to identify the origin of hydrocarbons accumulated by Mytilus, showing a chronic pyrolytic pollution and pollutant episodes by petrogenic sources and biomass combustion in the studied area. Multivariate analysis suggests the possibility of including physiological parameters of sentinel organisms in environmental biomonitoring programs, mainly in aquaculture areas, taking into account their two aspects: farms productivity and human food safety.

Differences in the accumulation of mercury (Hg) in five species of marine bivalves, including scallops Chlamys nobilis, clams Ruditapes philippinarum, oysters Saccostrea cucullata, green mussels Perna viridis, and black mussels Septifer virgatus, were investigated. The bivalves displayed different patterns of Hg accumulation in terms of the body concentrations of methylmercury (MeHg) and total Hg (THg), as well as the ratio of MeHg to THg. Parameters of the biodynamics of the accumulation of Hg(II) and MeHg could reflect the species-dependent Hg concentrations in the bivalves. With the exception of black mussels, we found a significant relationship between the efflux rates of Hg(II) and the THg concentrations in the bivalves. The interspecific variations in the MeHg to THg ratio were largely controlled by the relative difference between the elimination rates of Hg(II) and MeHg. Stable isotope (δ¹³C) analysis indicated that the five bivalve species had contrasting feeding niches, which may also affect the Hg accumulation.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are important environmental pollutants due to their persistence and bioaccumulation potential both in organisms and in sediments. In this study, bioaccumulation and depuration experiments were performed employing local Mediterranean mussel species, Mytilus galloprovincialis, with two biomarkers: filtration rate and lysosomal stability (neutral red retention) assay. Benzo(a)anthracene (BaA) was chosen as the model PAH compound due to its common presence in several matrices in the marine environment. Bioconcentration Factors (BCFs) for the mussels exposed to different BaA concentrations were calculated from both kinetic rate constants and from the experimental data and found between 27-3184 and 16-2745, respectively. Experimental QSAR values were found comparable to the previous QSAR models created for BaA. The effect of BaA exposure on the mussels showed a more clear dose–response relationship according to the results of lysosomal stability compared to the filtration rate.

Mussels (Mytilus edulis) were continuously exposed to dispersed crude oil (0.015–0.25mg/l) for 7months covering the whole gamete development cycle. After 1month exposure to 0.25mgoil/l, the level of alkali-labile phosphates (ALP) and the volume density of atretic oocytes in female gonads were higher than those in the gonads of control females, indicating that oil affected the level of vitellogenin-like proteins and gamete development. Spawning of mussels was induced after 7months oil exposure. Parental oil exposure did not affect subsequent fertilization success in clean seawater but this was reduced in 0.25mgoil/l. Parental exposure to 0.25mgoil/l caused both slow development and a higher percentage of abnormalities in D-shell larvae 2days post-fertilization; reduced growth 7days post-fertilization. These effects were greatly enhanced when larval stages were maintained at 0.25mgoil/l. Similar studies are warranted for risk assessment prognosis.

A distinct lack of historical and current data on the status of organic pollutant contaminants within the South African marine environment is evident. This has highlighted the need for more current organic pollutant assessments. Reference mussels and SPMDs were transplanted at five South African harbour sites to assess organic bioaccumulation in brown mussels (Perna perna) and semi-permeable membrane devices (SPMDs). Spatial patterns of PAH and PCB contaminants were determined by GC–MS and GC–ECD after appropriate sample preparation. Significant (p<0.05) spatial differences were observed between the sites. Results indicate no correlations between the passive device and the transplanted mussels; however the SPMDs provided complementary information on the presence of dioxin-like PCBs within the environment not detected by the mussel. The results indicate that information provided by both the mussels and SPMDs allow for a more in depth scrutiny of environmental conditions as a result of anthropogenic influence.

Perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) have emerged as significant global environmental pollutants with persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic properties. The aim of this study was to determine the occurrence of PFCs in water (wastewater, submarine emissaries and port-waters), sediment and transplanted mussels in estuarine areas of high urban and industrial impact from Northern Spain. Five PFCs of industrial use were studied: perfluorooctanesulfonate, perfluorohexanesulfonate, perfluorobutanesulfonate, perfluorooctanoate acid and perfluorononanoate acid. After selective extraction, samples were analyzed by Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry. ΣPFCs ranged from 0.06 to 10.9ng/L in water, with higher levels in wastewater treatment plants effluents and port waters than in submarine emissaries. Little accumulation was observed in sediments and mussels with ΣPFCs ranging from 0.01–0.13ng/g dw and 0.01–0.06ng/g ww, respectively. Most ubiquitous compounds were PFOS and PFOA. Mass fluxes of PFCs to the Cantabrian Sea are estimated and the impact to the coastal ecosystem is discussed.