Effects of oil and bioremediation on mussel (Mytilus edulis L.) growth in mudflats.
Mussels (Mytilus edulis L.) were exposed to crude oil during a field experiment to evaluate two bioremediation strategies (nutrient addition and nutrient addition with tilling). The mussels were placed in 4 mesocosms: Control, Oil, Oil + Nutrients, and Oil + Nutrients + Tilled. Tilling appeared to be clearly detrimental to mussel growth. Additionally, this field experiment demonstrated that at temperatures below 5 degrees C, growth was reduced to rates undetectable by the laser diffraction method. The data on mussel shell length show that this technique does offer very sensitive and useful comparative measurements of physiological function. Measurement of shell growth has the advantage over other techniques in that it is non-invasive and non-destructive and thus may be used continuously without disturbing critical physiological and biochemical functions; however, bivalve physiology is strongly linked to environmental conditions, so it is important to include such measures (i.e. seawater temperature and turbidity) in the design of the biomonitoring program. Elevated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) levels reflected bioaccumulation in mussels from all the oiled mesocosms. This correlated with reduction in growth rate. Maximum reduction in growth was observed in mussels from the tilled mesocosm which contained the lowest phenanthrene and dibenzothiophene concentrations. The tilling caused an increase in suspended solids which inhibited filter feeding activity, and resulted in suppressed growth and slower intake of PAH-laden sediment.
Le Floch
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Centre de Documentation de Recherche et d'Expérimentations sur les pollutions accidentelles des eaux, Rue Alain Colas, B.P. 20413, 29604 Brest cedex, France.
Guyomarch
J
J
Merlin
F
F
Børseth
J F
JF
Le Corre
P
P
Lee
K
K
D000818:Animals; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D049872:Bivalvia / Q000254:growth & development*; D004787:Environmental Pollution / Q000517:prevention & control; D010578:Petroleum / Q000378:metabolism / Q000506:poisoning*; D013696:Temperature; D014018:Tissue Distribution; D014873:Water Pollutants / Q000378:metabolism / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000506:poisoning*
D010578:Petroleum; D014873:Water Pollutants