Abstract
Coastal lagoons are complex environments threatened by natural and anthropogenic stressors. Here, we tested the effectiveness of combining physical, geochemical and chemical measurements with biomarker data obtained in field-exposed marine mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) as a biomonitoring strategy for a highly pressured lagoon (Pialassa Baiona, Ravenna, Italy). Data showed a spatial trend of sediment contamination by Hg, Pt, Au, Ag, Mo, Re, Cd, Pd and Zn. Local conditions of high water temperature/low conductivity were detected among selected sites. After a 30-day in situ exposure, Ag and Hg were the most bioaccumulated elements (10 and 5 folds, respectively) in mussels followed by Sb, Al, Ti and Fe. Decreased survival, lysosomal dysfunctions, increased metallothionein content and peroxisome proliferation were observed in mussels in relation to metal spatial distribution and physico-chemical fluctuations. Overall, this study provides a further confirmation of the role of biomonitoring to reliably assess the environmental quality of highly pressured lagoons.
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