Cytology of pollutant metals in marine invertebrates: A review of microanalytical applications

Journal Article · Fri Mar 01 00:00:00 EST 1991 · Scanning Microscopy; (United States)

OSTI ID:5263751

Nott, J A ^[1]

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1. Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Citadel Hill, Devon (England)

x-ray microanalysis (XRMA) is customized for investigations of the metabolic and detoxification strategies of heavy metals taken by marine organisms from polluted environments. Sites of uptake, intracellular accumulation, transport and excretion are visualized, analysed and quantified. Cryopreparation techniques are required to prevent the translocation or loss from specimens of soluble metal species. In marine invertebrates, metals are detoxified by systems of chemical binding and intracellular compartmentalization. XRMA investigations have concentrated on marine molluscs and crustaceans and even within these restricted groups there are marked inter-species differences in the biochemical and cytological processes which reduce metal bioavailability. Some detoxification systems also protect the carnivores which ingest the metal-laden tissues of the prey. This results in the bioreduction of metals along a food chain. These processes are investigated by XRMA which can be tuned to observe the complex interactions which operate at all levels within and between the biota and polluted environments. 90 refs.

• OSTI ID: 5263751
• Journal Information: Scanning Microscopy; (United States), Vol. 5:1; ISSN 0891-7035
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
CRUSTACEANS
SENSITIVITY
METALS
DETOXIFICATION
MOLLUSCS
BIODEGRADATION
BIOLOGICAL ACCUMULATION
BIOLOGICAL AVAILABILITY
CRYOBIOLOGY
ELECTRON MICROPROBE ANALYSIS
METABOLISM
WATER POLLUTION
ANIMALS
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
ARTHROPODS
BIOLOGY
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
DECOMPOSITION
ELEMENTS
INVERTEBRATES
MICROANALYSIS
NONDESTRUCTIVE ANALYSIS
POLLUTION
560300* - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology
550501 - Metabolism- Tracer Techniques