Abstract
Growth of Cerastoderma (= Cardium) edule (L.) and C. lamarcki (Reeve) exposed to mercury in situ in the western part of ther Limfjord, Denmark, was compared with that of non-exposed populations. Physiological condition index values of cockles sampled during growth periods in 1990 and 1991 were not significantly different for exposed and non-exposed populations when species, lenght, and sampling date were taken into account (stepwise multiple regression analysis, and ANOVA). Mercury exposure in the laboratory confirmed these findings. Biosynthesis of porphyrin precursors, δ-amino levuleic acid (ALA) and porphobilinogen (PBG), detected by ion-exchange chromatography, was clearly perturbed by mercury exposure in the environment as well as in laboratory experiments; thus, the two biochemical components can be considered biomarkers of mercury exposure. For the porphyrins (uro-, proto- and copro-porphyrins) detected by HLPC, no general effect could be established. The mechanistic basis of disturbance of the essential porphyrin biosynthesis (the prerequisite of cytochrome formation) and a possible alternative porphyrin source are discussed.
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