Bioaccumulation of cyclopenta[cd]pyrene and benzo[ghi]fluoranthene by mussels transplanted in a coastal lagoon.
The bioaccumulation of two isomeric non-alternant non-priority polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), namely cyclopenta[cd]pyrene and benzo[ghi]fluoranthene, was investigated in caged mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) exposed for 30 days in three sites of a coastal lagoon (Pialassa Baiona, Ravenna, Italy) contaminated by pyrogenic PAHs. The concentration of cyclopenta[cd]pyrene and benzo[ghi]fluoranthene increased from undetectable levels in reference mussels withdrawn from the Adriatic sea to 10-30 ng g(-1) dry weight in transplanted mussels. Other contaminants bioaccumulated by caged mussels included pyrene, fluoranthene and mercury. Whilst the isomer concentration ratio pyrene/fluoranthene in biota was comparable to that observed in sediments, the cyclopenta[cd]pyrene/benzo[ghi]fluoranthene ratio was much lower in mussels than in sediments. The lower sediment biota accumulation factor of cyclopenta[cd]pyrene with respect to that of benzo[ghi]fluoranthene was tentatively attributed to the greater biological activity of the former compound, which contains a reactive olefinic bond in the cyclopenta fused ring moiety. Given the higher mutagenic activity of cyclopenta[cd]pyrene with respect to other priority PAHs, its bioaccumulation from contaminated sediments may rise considerably the overall toxicity of PAH residues in exposed biota.
Fabbri
Daniele
D
Laboratory of Environmental Sciences, C.I.R.S.A., University of Bologna, via S. Alberto 163, I-48100 Ravenna, Italy. dani.fabbri@unibo.it
Baravelli
Valentina
V
Giannotti
Katia
K
Donnini
Filippo
F
Fabbri
Elena
E
D000818:Animals; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000032:analysis; D007558:Italy; D008628:Mercury / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D049878:Mytilus / Q000378:metabolism*; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D012623:Seawater; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism
D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D008628:Mercury