The consumption of halieutic products has many health benefits. However, their contaminants loads need to be addressed to better understand the risk from consuming these products. The aquatic biota from the Baie des Chaleurs in New Brunswick is contaminated by cadmium, zinc and lead. In spite of this, no study has examined the heavy metal concentrations in commercial halieutic products sold in this Canadian region. The objective of this pilot study was to characterize the species and origin of fish and seafood sold in the Baie des Chaleurs region by using an ecosystemic approach. Additionally, a baseline picture of the heavy metal levels found in these products has been determined. In 2008, interviews were carried out in markets located in the Baie des Chaleurs area. Species that were identified as the most purchased were then bought for analysis. Samples were freeze-dried and homogenized before nitric acid digestions. Aluminum, copper, cadmium, iron, manganese, and zinc concentrations were determined by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry. Results show that 36 % of seafood species sold in markets were caught in the Baie des Chaleurs. Lobsters, shrimps, scallops and oysters are the most purchased species regardless of the season. High amounts of cadmium exceeding tolerable daily intake are found in lobster hepatopancreas and can cause deleterious effects on health, in particular in vulnerable populations such as children and heavy consumers. The ecosystemic approach to health used in this pilot study shows the feasibility of an exhaustive study on the exposure of coastal population to heavy metal from fish and seafood consumption and the source of halieutic products sold in markets.
Serotonin plays a crucial role in mussel survival and reproduction. Although the serotonin system can be affected by metals, the effects of environmental concentrations of metals such as manganese (Mn), lead (Pd), and cadmium (Cd) have never been studied in blue mussels. The present study aimed to determine the effects of exposure to Mn, Pb, or Cd on serotonin levels, monoamine oxidase (MAO) activity, and serotonin transporter (SERT) levels in the blue mussel Mytilus edulis. Mussels were exposed in vivo to increasing and environmentally relevant doses of Mn (10-1000 nM; 0.5-50 mg/L), Pb (0.01-10 nM; 0.002-2 mg/L), or Cd (0.01-10 nM; 0.001-1 mg/L) for 28 d. Serotonin levels, MAO activity, and SERT expression were analyzed in the mussel mantle. Expression of SERT protein was significantly decreased, by up to 81%, following Mn, Pb, or Cd exposure. The activity of MAO in females was almost 2-fold higher, versus males, in nonexposed control mussels. In mussels exposed to 0.1 nM of Pb (0.02 mg/L), MAO activity was increased in males and decreased in females. In Cd-exposed mussels, a sex-dependent, inverted nonmonotonic pattern of MAO activity was observed. These results clearly indicate that low environmental concentrations of Mn, Pb, and Cd affect the serotonin system in blue mussels. Environ Toxicol Chem 2018;37:192-200. C 2017 SETAC
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