Bioaccumulation—Depuration kinetics and effects of phenanthrene on Mediterranean mussel (Mytilus galloprovincialis)

Abstract

In this study, Mediterranean mussel species, Mytilus galloprovincialis, were exposed to phenanthrene (PHE) due to its ubiquitousness and bioavailability in the aquatic environment. Kinetic parameters of the PHE bioaccumulation and depuration were calculated for an 11-day uptake and subsequent 11-day depuration periods. Those values of kinetic rate constants for uptake and depuration of PHE were calculated as varying between 93–177 and 0.18–0.25, respectively. Negative correlation was observed between the PHE concentrations and kinetic rate constants. Bioaccumulation Factors (BAFs) for the mussels exposed to different PHE concentrations were calculated from both kinetic rate constants and from the experimental data and found between 509–701 and 441–658, respectively. Experimental quantitative structure activity relationship (QSAR) values for PHE were found comparable to the calculated QSARs reported in literature. Two sub-lethal biomarker methods (filtration rate and lysosomal stability) were applied to observe the responses of the mussels throughout the experimental period. Results of both biomarkers show that PHE negatively affects mussels during the uptake of PHE, and mussels were able to recover physiologically at the end of depuration period according to the filtration rate results.