The relevance of age to selected heavy metals within soft tissues of the blue mussel (Mytilus edulis)

Thesis/Dissertation · Sun Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1989

OSTI ID:5668973

Zimmer, R D

The principal objective of this research effort was to address the relationship between age and concentrations of selected toxic trace metals within soft tissues of the blue mussel (Mytilus edulis). Blue mussels are commonly employed as sentinels of national and international biomonitoring programs because of their more or less ubiquitous distribution and ability to bioaccumulate pollutants of concern. For this study, mussels ranging in size from 50-80 millimeters (mm) were collected from two sites near Portland, Maine. Whole soft tissues from mussels ranging in age from 2-10 years were analyzed to determine concentrations of total zinc, cadmium, iron, lead, manganese, copper, and chromium. Results indicated a relatively high metal Coefficient of Variation (C.V.) between individuals from both sampling sites. In addition, copper, lead, cadmium, manganese and iron concentrations were found to be statistically related to tissue dry weight. Only two of the seven metals (cadmium and chromium) exhibited a correlation with mussel age. Data generated in this study reflect a need for investigators to exercise caution in comparing the quality of different coastal regions based on tissue burdens alone.

• Research Organization: Rutgers--the State Univ., New Brunswick, NJ (United States)
• OSTI ID: 5668973
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

560300* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
AGE DEPENDENCE
ANIMALS
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
BIOLOGICAL ACCUMULATION
BIOLOGICAL INDICATORS
CADMIUM
CHROMIUM
COPPER
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
ELEMENTS
FEDERAL REGION I
INVERTEBRATES
IRON
LEAD
MAINE
MANGANESE
METALS
MOLLUSCS
MUSSELS
NORTH AMERICA
POLLUTION
SENSITIVITY
TOXICITY
TRACE AMOUNTS
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
USA
WATER POLLUTION
ZINC