Bacterial load mitigation of the shellfish Magallana gigas by the marine sponge Hymeniacidon perlevis (Montagu 1818)

Abstract

Marine bioremediation consists in using filter-feeder organisms such as marine sponges in order to reduce the presence of coliforms and pathogens. In this study, the contamination of the Pacific shellfish Magallana gigas by both bacteria Escherichia coli and Vibrio aestuarianus was explored in vitro with or without the presence of the marine sponge Hymeniacidon perlevis. Results indicated that H. perlevis was able in vitro to reduce significantly faecal contamination and pathogen both in seawater and in shellfish. The clearance was comprised between 7 and 19 mL.h−1.g−1 of sponge (wet weight) depending on bacterial species. The risk of recontamination of seawater by the sponge itself was also studied. Those results confirm marine sponges and in particular the species H. perlevis might be promising candidate for bioremediation in shellfish farms.