Heavy metal pollution in sediments and mussels: assessment by using pollution indices and metallothionein levels

Abstract

In the present work, the concentration of eight metals (Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, Zn) was determined in the sediments and transplanted and native mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis). The study was conducted in Turkish marinas, shipyards, and shipbreaking yards. The effect of metal pollution was evaluated by determining the levels of metallothionein (MT) in the mussels. The extent of contamination for each single metal was assessed by using the geoaccumulation index (I geo) and enrichment factor (EF). Whereas, to evaluate the overall metal pollution and effect, the pollution load index (PLI), modified contamination degree (mC d), potential toxicity response index (RI), mean effects range median (ERM) quotient (m-ERM-Q), and mean PEL quotient (m-PEL-Q) were calculated. The influence of different background values on the calculations was discussed. The results indicated a significant metal pollution caused by Cu, Pb, and Zn especially in shipyard and shipbreaking sites. Higher concentrations of MT were observed in the ship/breaking yard samples after the transplantation.

Occurrences and Ecotoxicological Risk Assessment of Heavy Metals in Surface Sediments from Awash River Basin, Ethiopia

“…Hence, Cu and Ni might have the same anthropogenic sources. These two heavy metals also showed high levels of enrichment at similar sites (sites [33][34][35][36][37]. This might point out that the two elements mainly originated from agricultural inputs like fertilizers and pesticides.…”

“…Even though there were variations between the sampling sites, the percentage content of total organic carbon was low at nearly all the sampling sites. Low TOC content can be associated with higher oxidation processes in the surface sediments [37]. Table 1.…”

Metal contamination and oxidative stress biomarkers in estuarine fish following a mine tailing disaster

“…As, Cd, Pb, Hg, among others; Hauser-Davis et al, 2014;Kehrig et al, 2016). Metallothionein expression increases above certain metal threshold conditions, where the presence of the thiol groups of cysteine residues allows for these metalloproteins to bind to specific metals, protecting the body from metal toxicity through immobilization, metabolic unavailability, and subsequent detoxification, mainly in the liver or organs with equivalent function (Kehrig et al, 2016;Okay et al, 2016;Pacheco et al, 2017;Van Ael, Blust & Bervoets, 2017). Another biomarker, the tripeptide reduced glutathione (GSH, γ-L-glutamyl-L-cysteinyl-glycine), is an important intracellular antioxidant and defense mechanism which intervenes against intracellular oxidative stress-induced toxicity (Lavradas et al, 2014;Kehrig et al, 2016).…”

“…As a result, biochemical biomarkers have become effective tools for assessing toxic effects of metals in aquatic organisms (e.g. Campbell et al, 2008;Lavradas et al, 2014;Okay et al, 2016;Pacheco et al, 2017).…”

Assesment of Na+/K+-ATPase, Mg2+-ATPase, Ca2+-ATPase, and Total-ATPase Activities in Gills of Freshwater Mussels Exposed to Penconazole

“…Bivalves which are commonly used as biomonitor organisms in ecotoxicological studies, play significant roles in organic matter recycling and control of phytoplankton levels (Iummato et al, 2018). Bivalves, especially mussels, have various characteristics such as a wide geographic distribution, sessile life, deep burrowing, accumulation of many types of pollutants, and a high tolerance for chemical pollution (Okay et al, 2016;Burgos-Aceves, & Faggio, 2017;Guidi et al, 2017;Savorelli et al, 2017;Sureda, Capó, Busquets-Cortés, & Tejada, 2018). They accumulate pollutants in the surrounding water due to their filter-feeding characteristics (Parisi et al, 2019).…”