Byssus of the Green-Lipped Mussel Perna viridis (Linnaeus) as a Biomonitoring Material for Zn

Abstract

Recently, Yap et al. (2003) suggested that the byssus of the green-lipped mussel Perna viridis can be a biomonitoring material for Zn although further validation is required. In this work, we did a simple correlation study between Zn concentrations in the byssus (and soft tissue) and in different geochemical fractions of the sediment. A significant ( P < 0.01) Pearson's correlation coefficient ( R = 0.84) between the Zn concentrations in the byssus and soft tissue indicated that the Zn level in the byssus is highly correlated to its level in the soft tissue and that the byssus could act as an excretion route for Zn. Higher R-values were found between the byssus-easily or freely, leachable and exchangeable, byssus-acid-reducible, byssus-oxidizable-organic and byssus-nonresistant fractions of the sediment, and the byssus-Zn concentration in the total sediment when compared to those found between the soft tissue and the same geochemical fractions. This indicated that the byssus was more reflective of Zn contamination in the field environment than the soft tissue. Therefore, the data further support the use of the byssus as a biomonitoring material for Zn as was originally suggested by Yap et al. [3].

Trace elements in the detoxifying and accumulating body parts of Mytilus galloprovincialis Lamark, 1819 (Crimea, Black Sea): human health risks and effect of the sampling site location

“…Although many trace elements, being micronutrients, are necessary for the normal physiological activity of aquatic organisms, many of them can be concentrated in excess of physiological requirements in soft tissues and become toxic (Briffa et The content of Zn in byssus depends on its concentration in seawater and also in soft tissues as it can be extracted from the mussel body into byssus. Yap et al (2005) noticed that if large amounts of heavy metals are accumulated in soft tissues of M. edulis, then the metals are transferred to byssus in almost equal proportions, and the same pattern was noted in the present research with respect to M. galloprovincialis (Table 1).…”

Effects of species and sites on metal concentrations in byssal threads of two mytilids

“…Active elimination of metals from the soft tissues to byssus by a possible 'detoxification' mechanism has even been considered [2]. Thus, the reliability of the use of mytilid byssus as a marker of trace metal pollutants was intensively investigated in the last two decades, resulting in some promising conclusions [4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13]. More recently, it has been experimentally proved that Fe ions are incorporated in the Mytilus galloprovincialis thread cuticle during the secretion of a new thread and not by direct absorption from the surrounding waters [14].…”

Biomonitoring of Trace Metals (Fe, Cu, and Ni) in the Mangrove Area of Peninsular Malaysia Using Different Soft Tissues of Flat Tree Oyster Isognomon alatus

“…8. This could be due to its role as an excretion route for Fe, Cu, and Ni as proposed in P. viridis for Zn (Yap et al 2005). This indicated that byssus had different mechanisms of metal accumulation when compared to other soft tissues.…”