Black Sea Mussels Research Articles

Assessment of metal element concentrations in mussel (M. Galloprovincialis) in Eastern Black Sea, Turkey

The main goal of this work is to determine the effects of pollution of copper, lead and zinc mines on the Eastern Black Sea. Metal and heavy metal concentrations in the Eastern Black Sea mussels were measured using Energy Dispersive X-ray Fluorescence (EDXRF) and Flame Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (FAAS). The analytical results showed that the tissue of mussel in Eastern Black Sea contains K, Ca, Fe, Cu, Zn, and Sr elements, and the shell of mussel contains Ca, Cu, Sr, and Ba elements. Due to the detection limit of EDXRF, the mussels were analyzed with FAAS for Cr, Mn, Ni, Cd and Pb elements. An ANOVA and Pearson correlation analyses were performed. The results showed although that the mean concentrations of Cu and Zn for the tissue of the mussels were markedly above the permissible levels of the Turkish regulations, Zn concentration is in the limits of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

Heavy metal levels in biota and sediments in the northern coast of the Marmara Sea.

Concentration of Cd, Co, Cr, Ni, Zn, Fe, Mn, Pb and Cu were determined in biota and sediment samples collected from the Marmara Sea in Turkey. The levels of Zn, Fe, Mn, Pb and Cu in the macroalgae are higher than previous studies in the Marmara Sea. Moreover, Cu and Zn concentrations at the present study are significantly high than Bosphorus and Black Sea algae. The order heavy metal concentrations in the mussel samples was: Fe > Zn > Ni > Mn > Cu > Pb > Cr > Cd > Co. The metal concentrations are generally lower when compared with the Black Sea mussels except Pb. At the same time, concentrations of Pb, Cu and Zn in the mussel species are lower when compared with the results in the Aegean Sea. The ranges of Mn and Cu in the tested fish samples are higher than Black Sea fish. On the other hand, Cd, Co, Cr, Zn and Pb concentrations are lower. The northern coast of the Marmara Sea having the highest metal concentrations in sediments as follows: Co, Cr, Ni, Fe at Sarköy; Pb, Cu at M. Ereğli; Cd, Zn, Mn at Menekşe. The heavy metal levels in the sediment samples are lower than other areas in the Marmara Sea.

Effect of genotypes of unspecific esterases and leucine aminopeptidase loci on the temporal dynamics of morphological variation in the black sea mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis Lam

In the Black Sea mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis Lam., the dependence of variation in 21 morphological characters of the shell on the genotype at the polymorphic loci encoding unspecific esterases and leucine aminopeptidase was estimated by means of ANOVA in 12 samples differing in age and belonging to different generations. The genotype at these loci was found to have no constant influence on the dynamics of variation in any morphological character. The effect of the parameters of polymorphism was ambiguous: a factor having a significant effect on a certain character in one sample might have no such effect (or produce an effect on a different character) in another sample. A directional change in the significant effect of genotypes during a certain period of generation's lifetime was revealed. The dependence of the effect of polymorphism at the studied loci on ecological conditions is discussed.

210Po in the Black Sea hydrobionts

The 210 Po concentrations in the Black Sea hydrobionts are reported and compared with published radioecological data on this natural radionuclide. The distribution of 210 Po in investigated species of the Black Sea pelagic community is the following: mesozooplankton = ctenophore Po concentrations in the Black Sea fishes depend on their belonging to different ecological groups and decrease from pelagic species to demersal and benthic ones. 210 Po concentrations in the Black Sea mussels Mytilus galloprovincialis are as high as such determined in the Black Sea pelagic fishes. 210 Po concentrations in algae were the lowest among benthic hydrobionts.

Depositional Role of Black Sea Mussels (Inferred from Experimental and Field Observations)

The influence of Black Sea mussels on sedimentary processes in the near-shore zone is considered. Using sedimentation traps, quantitative aspects of substance flux transformation by mollusks during the biogenic sedimentation of lithogenic material is studied. Mollusks increase ten to twenty times the vertical sedimentation rate of substance from suspension and change the flow direction from horizontal to vertical one. The substance flux produced during the filtration of Black Sea shelf waters by benthic organisms is two to five times higher than that provided by rivers of the entire discharge basin. The filtration of water by mollusks results in an intense geochemical transformation of substance in the suspension–sediment system. This is expressed in the removal of organic matter, calcium carbonate, and practically all microelements from suspension. Major components of the suspension, such as SiO2, TiO2, and Al2O3, as well as some microelements (Sr, Rb), are concentrated by mussels during the digestion process.

Individual Variation and Seasonal Dynamics of Carotenoid Content in Gonads of Black Sea Mussels Mytilus galloprovincialis Cultivated in Collectors

Individual Variation and Seasonal Dynamics of Carotenoid Content in Gonads of Black Sea Mussels Mytilus galloprovincialis Cultivated in Collectors

The Relationship between Lipid Peroxidation and Antioxidant Activity in Tissues of Black Sea Mussels

The Relationship between Lipid Peroxidation and Antioxidant Activity in Tissues of Black Sea Mussels

Comparison of sterol composition of some Baltic Sea and Black Sea mussels

Sterol composition of three Baltic Sea mussels (Mytilus edulis, Cardium glaucum, Mya arenaria) was compared with the sterol composition of three biologically closely related mussels from the Black Sea (Mytilus galloprovincialis, Cardium edule, Mya arenaria). The qualitative sterol composition of the mussels studied was similar, but some quantitative differences were found.

Sterols from the main black sea molluscs

Abstract 1. 1. The wide-spread Black Sea mussels Mytilus galloprovincialis, Donax julianae, Cardium edule, Venus gallina, Mya arenaria and Tapes rugatus (Pelecypoda) as well as the snails Rapana thomasiana, Gibulla divaricata and Tritia reticulata (Gastropoda) were investigated for the presence of free sterols, sterol esters and epidioxisterols. 2. 2. The influence of some ecological factors upon the sterol composition, as well as some food-chains were studied.

Effect of ?-hexachloran and sevin on the survival of the Black Sea mussel, Mytilus galloprovincialis Lam

Some observations on the effect of γ-hexachloran and sevin on the survival of two size groups of the Black Sea mussel, Mytilus galloprovincialis Lam. were made. The results of the present study are compared with those made earlier on the same species and on fishes.