Occurrence and Distribution of Metals in Mussels from the Cantabrian Coast

From February 2004 to April 2006, the concentrations of more than 10 metals in mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) were measured in 10 stations from Galicia to the Basque Country in 8 different times of sampling. The mean highest concentrations are found for Zn [226.8 μg/g, dry weight (d.w.)] followed by Mn, As, Cu, and Co (between 10 and 25 μg/g d.w.). Lower mean concentrations are found for Se, Cr, Pb, V, and Ni (between 2 and 8 μg/g d.w.) and the lowest are for Cd, Sn, Hg, and Sb (between 0.05 and 1 μg/g d.w.). Among the statistical treatments used, the factor analysis showed a clustering of the mussels according to the geographical location. In addition, the temporal trend of the metal concentrations was studied by means of the Mann–Kendall test. In this sense, some stations showed a decreasing trend in the accumulation of the metallic content. However, there were some local pollution events that could be explained as a consequence of anthropogenic activities. Finally, the effects of the oil spill from the Prestige are discussed based on the experimental Ni/V ratio values obtained from this work and those of the original oil.

[1]  E. Gosling.  The mussel Mytilus: ecology, physiology, genetics and culture , 1992 .

[2]  G. Arana,et al.  Optimisation of microwave assisted digestion of sediments and determination of Sn and Hg , 2006 .

[3]  S. Skreslet.  Oceanography and Marine Environment of the Basque Country. Elsevier Oceanography Series 70. Edited by Á. Borja and M. Collins (2004) Elsevier B.V., Amsterdam. ISBN 0-444-51581-X. ISSN 0422–9894 (Series). , 2005 .

[4]  H. Fischer,et al.  Shell weight as an independent variable in relation to cadmium content of molluscs MARINE ECOLOGY - , 2006 .

[5]  J. Fumega,et al.  Temporal trends of Cd, Cu, Hg, Pb and Zn in mussel (Mytilus galloprovincialis) from the Spanish North-Atlantic coast 1991-1999. , 2002, The Science of the total environment.

[6]  R. Blust,et al.  The influence of body size, condition index and tidal exposure on the variability in metal bioaccumulation in Mytilus edulis. , 2006, Environmental pollution.

[7]  D. Cossa.  A review of the use of Mytilus spp. as quantitative indicators , 1989 .

[8]  G. Millward,et al.  Land Ocean Interaction: processes, functioning and environmental management: a UK perspective. , 2003, The Science of the total environment.

[9]  I. Lavilla,et al.  Development of an ultrasound-assisted extraction method for biomonitoring of vanadium and nickel in the coastal environment under the influence of the Prestige fuel spill (North east Atlantic Ocean). , 2006, Analytica chimica acta.

[10]  A. Diego,et al.  Trace Metals in Oysters, Crassotrea sps., from UNESCO Protected Natural Reserve of Urdaibai: Space-Time Observations and Source Identification , 2009, Bulletin of environmental contamination and toxicology.

[11]  M. Soto,et al.  Changes in mussel biometry on exposure to metals: implications in estimation of metal bioavailability in 'Mussel-Watch' programmes. , 2000, The Science of the total environment.

[12]  L. Chauvaud,et al.  Nickel and vanadium contamination of benthic invertebrates following the “Erika” wreck , 2004 .

[13]  J. Gastwirth.  Non-parametric Statistical Methods , 1990 .

[14]  M. Soto,et al.  Bioavailable heavy metals in estuarine waters as assessed by metal/shell-weight indices in sentinel mussels Mytilus galloprovincialis , 1995 .

[15]  D. Livingstone.  Biotechnology and pollution monitoring: Use of molecular biomarkers in the aquatic environment , 1993 .

[16]  P. Hall.  On non-parametric statistical methods , 2005 .

[17]  M. Rivera-García,et al.  Genetic variability and differentiation in cultured white shrimp Penaeus (Litopenaeus) vannamei with low and high growth , 2005, Ciencias Marinas.

[18]  Larraitz Garmendia,et al.  Cell and tissue biomarkers in mussel, and histopathology in hake and anchovy from Bay of Biscay after the Prestige oil spill (Monitoring Campaign 2003). , 2006, Marine pollution bulletin.

[19]  J. Correa,et al.  Effective metal concentrations in porewater and seawater labile metal concentrations associated with copper mine tailings disposal into the coastal waters of the Atacama region of northern Chile. , 2002, Marine pollution bulletin.

[20]  G. Asmund,et al.  Influence of Length on Element Concentrations in Blue Mussels (Mytilus edulis) , 1996 .

[21]  E. Ünlü,et al.  Heavy Metal Concentrations in Water, Sediment, Fish and Some Benthic Organisms from Tigris River, Turkey , 2007, Environmental monitoring and assessment.

[22]  Á. Borja,et al.  Heavy metals in molluscs from the Basque Coast (Northern Spain): results from an 11-year monitoring programme. , 2002, Marine pollution bulletin.

[23]  V. Bulut,et al.  Assessment of metal element concentrations in mussel (M. Galloprovincialis) in Eastern Black Sea, Turkey. , 2008, Journal of hazardous materials.

[24]  M. M. Krahn,et al.  CHAPTER 5 – Chlorinated and Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Bottom Sediments, Fish and Marine Mammals in US Coastal Waters: Laboratory and Field Studies of Metabolism and Accumulation , 1992 .

[25]  S. Arrasate,et al.  Distribution and bioaccumulation of PAHs in the UNESCO protected natural reserve of Urdaibai, Bay of Biscay. , 2008, Chemosphere.

[26]  K. Esbensen.  Multivariate data analysis - in practise: an introduction to multivariate data analysis and experimental design , 2002 .

[27]  Antonio Cobelo-García,et al.  Trace elements in the Prestige fuel-oil spill: Levels and influence on Laxe Ria sediments (NW Iberian Peninsula) , 2006 .