TY - JOUR
T1 - Integrated assessment of heavy metal pollution using transplanted mussels in eastern Guangdong, China
AU - Shi, Jingchun
AU - Li, Xue
AU - He, Tangtian
AU - Wang, Jingzhen
AU - Wang, Zhen
AU - Li, Ping
AU - Lai, Yongzhong
AU - Sanganyado, Edmond
AU - Liu, Wenhua
N1 - Funding information:
The authors gratefully acknowledge the financial support by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (grant numbers 41676166 and 41776174), Ministry of Agriculture (Chinese White Dolphin Conservation Action) and CNOOC Foundation.
PY - 2018/12/1
Y1 - 2018/12/1
N2 - Heavy metal contamination has been widely studied in coastal areas around the world. However, integrative studies of heavy metals pollution by monitoring and characterizing sediments, organisms, and biomarkers as well as their holistic interactions are rare. Here, we selected a developed coastal area in eastern Guangdong, China as the study field. Heavy metal analysis (both in sediment and mussel) and biomarker tests, including neutral red retention time test (NRRT) and micronuclei (MN) test, were employed in the current research. Anthropogenic activities influenced the heavy metal levels in sediments. Significant relationships (p < 0.05) were observed in the concentrations of Cd, Cu, and Zn between sediments and transplanted mussel, and significant relationships (p < 0.05) were also observed in between the concentrations of Cd, Cu, and Zn in sediments and the NRRT of mussel. The potential ecological risk index (RI) of sediments significantly correlated with NRRT (R = −0.991, p < 0.05). In Hao River, where the highest RI of sediments was found, the highest MN frequency and the lowest NRRT in mussels were detected simultaneously. The results indicated that the heavy metal pollution might cause subcellular toxic and genotoxic effects on mussels, especially for those from polluted areas (i.e., Hao River). The present study suggests that the transplanted green-lipped mussels are suitable for assessing heavy metal pollution, especially for Cd, Cu, and Zn.
AB - Heavy metal contamination has been widely studied in coastal areas around the world. However, integrative studies of heavy metals pollution by monitoring and characterizing sediments, organisms, and biomarkers as well as their holistic interactions are rare. Here, we selected a developed coastal area in eastern Guangdong, China as the study field. Heavy metal analysis (both in sediment and mussel) and biomarker tests, including neutral red retention time test (NRRT) and micronuclei (MN) test, were employed in the current research. Anthropogenic activities influenced the heavy metal levels in sediments. Significant relationships (p < 0.05) were observed in the concentrations of Cd, Cu, and Zn between sediments and transplanted mussel, and significant relationships (p < 0.05) were also observed in between the concentrations of Cd, Cu, and Zn in sediments and the NRRT of mussel. The potential ecological risk index (RI) of sediments significantly correlated with NRRT (R = −0.991, p < 0.05). In Hao River, where the highest RI of sediments was found, the highest MN frequency and the lowest NRRT in mussels were detected simultaneously. The results indicated that the heavy metal pollution might cause subcellular toxic and genotoxic effects on mussels, especially for those from polluted areas (i.e., Hao River). The present study suggests that the transplanted green-lipped mussels are suitable for assessing heavy metal pollution, especially for Cd, Cu, and Zn.
KW - Heavy metals
KW - Transplanted mussels
KW - Sediments
KW - Biomarkers
U2 - 10.1016/j.envpol.2018.09.006
DO - 10.1016/j.envpol.2018.09.006
M3 - Article
SN - 0269-7491
VL - 243
SP - 601
EP - 609
JO - Environmental Pollution
JF - Environmental Pollution
ER -