title: Variations of trace metals in two estuarine environments with contrasting pollution histories.
abstract: In the present study, seasonal variations of metal concentrations were examined in two oyster species, Crassostrea hongkongensis and Crassostrea sikamea, and in seawater from a heavily contaminated estuary and a reference estuary. Strong temporal fluctuations of metal concentration were observed in oyster tissues as well as in seawater from both estuaries, especially for the contaminated estuary and for C. hongkongensis with higher accumulation ability. A closer inter-element correlation was observed for Cu, Zn, Cr and Ni in both the dissolved and particulate phases from the contaminated site, indicating that these metals originated from the same industrial sources. Seasonal variations of metals in oysters were not significantly related to their concentrations in seawater, but were related to the variations of condition index. Our results showed that the seasonal patterns of metal concentrations in oysters were largely controlled by the biological process, while the variation as well as the concentration were dependent on the contamination levels and bioaccumulation ability.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Coastal and Wetland Ecosystems of Ministry of Education, College of Environment and Ecology, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China.
authors.forename: Nanyan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Weng
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Coastal and Wetland Ecosystems of Ministry of Education, College of Environment and Ecology, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China; Division of Life Science, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), Clearwater Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong. Electronic address: wwang@ust.hk.
authors.forename: Wen-Xiong
authors.initials: WX
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D049896:Crassostrea / Q000378:metabolism*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D063366:Estuaries; D008670:Metals / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D012623:Seawater / Q000737:chemistry; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D014877:Water Pollution, Chemical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
chemical_list: D008670:Metals; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
keywords: Biomonitor; Estuary; Metals; Oysters; Partitioning