Abstract
Mussels, such as the marine bivalve Mytilus galloprovincialis are sentinels for marine pollution but they are also excellent bioindicators under laboratory conditions. For that, in this study we tested the modulation of biochemical responses under realistic concentrations of the toxic metal Lead (Pb) in water for 28 days under different conditions of salinity and temperature, including control condition (temperature 17 ± 1.0 °C and salinity 30 ± 1.0) as well as those within the range expected to occur due to climate change predictions (± 5 in salinity and + 4 °C in temperature). A comprehensive set of biomarkers was applied to search on modulation of biochemical responses in terms of energy metabolism, energy reserves, oxidative stress and damage occurrence in lipids, proteins as well as neurotoxicity signs. The application of an integrative Principal Coordinates Ordination (PCO) tool was successful and demonstrated that Pb caused an increase in the detoxification activity mainly evidenced by glutathione S-transferases and that the salinities 25 and 35 were, even in un-exposed mussels, responsible for cell damage seen as increased levels of lipid peroxidation (at salinity 25) and oxidised proteins (at salinity 35).
Highlights
Environmental pollution by potential toxic elements, such as metals, has been a topic of concern over the last decades, with several studies highlighting the accumulation of these elements in different aquatic compartments and their impacts on freshwater and marine organisms
Fold) values in organisms exposed to Pb in comparison to non-contaminated ones, with no significant differences among mussels exposed to different conditions (Table 2)
In Pb exposed mussels, significantly lower ETS values were observed at salinities 30 and 35 at control temperature
Summary
Environmental pollution by potential toxic elements, such as metals, has been a topic of concern over the last decades, with several studies highlighting the accumulation of these elements in different aquatic compartments and their impacts on freshwater and marine organisms (among others, Al Naggar et al, 2018; Ansari et al, 2004; Bielen et al., 2015). Zhang et al (2010) demonstrated that in the bivalve Chlamys farreri exposed to Pb the antioxidant capacity was compromised resulting in increased levels of lipid peroxidation. Wadige et al (2014) revealed that in the freshwater bivalve Hyridella australis the total antioxidant capacity decreased while lipid peroxidation and lysosomal membrane destabilization increased alongside to Pb exposure.
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