Monitoring chemical contamination levels in the Mediterranean based on the use of mussel caging
Résumé
Within the framework of the biointegrator network (RINBIO), 92 man-made cages containing mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis), distributed over 1800 km of the French Mediterranean coast, made it possible to assess chemical contamination by heavy metals (Cd, Hg, Zn, Pb, Cu, Ni, Cr, As) and organic compounds (DDT, PCBs, HAP). The caging technique was adopted to compensate for the scarcity of natural shellfish stocks in the Mediterranean and to enable comparison of the sites regardless of their physicochemical and trophic characteristics. Models linking a biometric parameter (the condition index) to pollutant levels make it possible to adjust raw data on contamination for a reference individual, by making a clear distinction between physiological factors (growth) and environmental ones. The results demonstrate significant levels of pollutants in sites heretofore unsampled; the pollution occurs at limited areas, and the sources have been identified. Moreover, average contamination levels are comparable to those measured in wild species and in other areas. Overall, the research demonstrates the reliability of this methodological approach for monitoring marine pollution, especially in the Mediterranean. © 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Mots clés
Cages (mine hoists)
Coastal zones
Heavy metals
Pollution
Shell mold casting
Site selection
Biointegrator networks
Pollutants
Contamination
arsenic
cadmium
chlorphenotane
chromium
copper
heavy metal
lead
mercury
nickel
organic compound
polychlorinated biphenyl
zinc
biomonitoring
cage culture
marine pollution
pollution monitoring
article
environmental monitoring
mussel
nonhuman
physical chemistry
sea pollution
shellfish
water contamination
water pollutant
water sampling
Animals
Bivalvia
Environmental Monitoring
Food Chain
France
Metals
Heavy
Reproducibility of Results
Tissue Distribution
Water Pollutants
Chemical
Eastern Hemisphere
Eurasia
Europe
Mediterranean Sea
oceanic regions
Western Europe
World
Mytilus
Mytilus galloprovincialis