Mercury in mussels of Bellingham Bay, Washington, (USA)
Laboratory experiments demonstrated the existence of metallothionein-like, low molecular weight, mercury-binding proteins in the marine mussel Mytilus edulis. Relatively large quantities of mercury were associated with such proteins in gills and digestive gland, the organs of interest in the present study. /sup 14/C-incorporation indicated induction of the protein in gills, but not in digestive gland. Mercury in digestive gland may have bound to existing metal-binding proteins. Short-term incorporation of mercury occurred primarily in gills. The induction of mercury-binding proteins in gills may have facilitated detoxification of mercury at the site of uptake. Mercury in mussels of Bellingham Bay were shown to have decreased from 1970 to 1978, the collection date for the present study. Mercury levels were low but approximately three times higher than those from uncontaminated areas. Mercury associated with the mercury-binding protein of gills and digestive glands of Bellingham Bay mussels were low and reflected the concentrations measured in the whole tissues. However, the highest concentration of mercury was associated with the low molecular pool components, the identity of which is not presently known.
- Research Organization:
- Battelle Pacific Northwest Labs., Richland, WA (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- EY-76-C-06-1830
- OSTI ID:
- 5590073
- Report Number(s):
- PNL-SA-8055; CONF-791179-1
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: Symposium on pollution and physiology of marine organisms, Milford, CT, USA, 6 Nov 1979
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
MERCURY
BIOLOGICAL ACCUMULATION
MOLLUSCS
METABOLISM
CARBON 14
COASTAL REGIONS
DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
GILLS
PROTEINS
TISSUES
TRACER TECHNIQUES
UPTAKE
WASHINGTON
ANIMALS
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BODY
CARBON ISOTOPES
ELEMENTS
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
INVERTEBRATES
ISOTOPE APPLICATIONS
ISOTOPES
LIGHT NUCLEI
METALS
NORTH AMERICA
NUCLEI
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PACIFIC NORTHWEST REGION
RADIOISOTOPES
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
USA
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
560304* - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology- Invertebrates- (-1987)