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Metal Accumulation in Marine Bivalves Under Various Tributyltin Burdens
Author(s) -
Tang ChuanHo,
Lin ChanShing,
Wang WeiHsien
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
environmental toxicology and chemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.1
H-Index - 171
eISSN - 1552-8618
pISSN - 0730-7268
DOI - 10.1897/09-178.1
Subject(s) - tributyltin , environmental chemistry , mussel , dry weight , crassostrea , chemistry , perna viridis , bivalvia , ecotoxicology , mollusca , pollution , mytilus , biology , oyster , ecology , botany
In the present study, a field survey was conducted to measure the accumulation of butyltin, Cu, Zn, and Cd in green mussels ( Perna viridis ) and Pacific oysters ( Crassostrea gigas ) at the regions along a tributyltin pollution gradient. A negative correlation was found between the tributyltin/total butyltin ratio (0.87–0.31) and tributyltin content (114–5,817 ng/g as tin dry wt) in oysters, while the Cu content (44.2–381 mg/kg dry wt) was positively correlated with the logarithm of tributyltin content during the summer and winter. This suggests that as the tributyltin burden increases, the rates of tributyltin metabolism may be elevated, leading to enhanced Cu accumulation. A similar accumulation pattern for Zn was also found in oysters. In mussels, however, the tributyltin/total butyltin ratio and the Cu and Zn contents remained relatively constant (∼0.7, 12, and 100 mg/kg dry wt, respectively) regardless of the tributyltin burden. Clearly, the butyltin and Cu/Zn accumulation processes in oysters differ from those in mussels under tributyltin pollution. These observations provide valuable information for those who evaluate or compare tributyltin and/or Cu/Zn pollution using oysters and mussels as bioindicators.