A biomarker of contaminant exposure is effective in large scale assessment of ten estuaries.
Cost-effective and sensitive measures of anthropogenic stress are necessary tools in any environmental monitoring program. When implementing new monitoring tools in a region, rigorous laboratory and field studies are essential for characterizing the sensitivity and efficacy of the approach. We exposed the oyster Saccostrea glomerata to various individual contaminants through multiple exposure pathways (water- and food-borne) in the laboratory and measured two biomarker responses, lysosomal membrane stability (LMS) and lipid peroxidation (LPO). LMS was sensitive to both contaminant exposure pathways. We subsequently measured this biomarker in oysters which had been experimentally deployed at multiple sites in each of ten estuaries with varying levels of contamination associated with re-suspended sediments. There was a strong association between LMS and metal exposure, despite substantial natural variation in water quality parameters. Our results illustrate the potential use of LMS as a pragmatic indicator of biotic injury in environmental monitoring programs for re-suspended contaminated sediments.
Evolution and Ecology Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia. Electronic address: katelyn.edge@environment.nsw.gov.au.
Katelyn J
KJ
Edge
Evolution and Ecology Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia.
Katherine A
KA
Dafforn
Centre for Environmental Contaminants Research, CSIRO Land and Water, Locked Bag 2007, Kirrawee, NSW 2232, Australia.
Stuart L
SL
Simpson
Centre for Ecotoxicology, NSW Office of Environment and Heritage, PO Box 29, Lidcombe, NSW 1825, Australia.
Anthony C
AC
Roach
Evolution and Ecology Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia; Sydney Institute of Marine Science, Chowder Bay Rd, Mosman, NSW 2088, Australia.
Emma L
EL
Johnston
D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D055598:Chemical Phenomena; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D063366:Estuaries; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000737:chemistry; D007425:Intracellular Membranes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D007753:Laboratories; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects*; D008247:Lysosomes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D010125:Ostreidae / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis* / Q000633:toxicity*
D015415:Biomarkers; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
Bivalves; Contaminants; Environmental monitoring; Lysosomal membrane stability; Re-suspended sediments