title: A reassessment of the use of Posidonia oceanica and Mytilus galloprovincialis to biomonitor the coastal pollution of trace elements: New tools and tips.
abstract: The present study gives a summary using state-of-the-art technology to monitor Posidonia oceanica and Mytilus galloprovincialis as bioindicators of the pollution of the Mediterranean littoral with trace elements (TEs), and discusses their complementarity and specificities in terms of TE bioaccumulation. Furthermore, this study presents two complementary indices, the Trace Element Spatial Variation Index (TESVI) and the Trace Element Pollution Index (TEPI): these indices were shown to be relevant monitoring tools since they led to the ordering of TEs according to the overall spatial variability of their environmental levels (TESVI) and to the relevant comparison of the global TE pollution between monitored sites (TEPI). In addition, this study also discusses some underestimated aspects of P. oceanica and M. galloprovincialis bioaccumulation behaviour, with regard to their life style and ecophysiology. It finally points out the necessity of developing consensual protocols between monitoring surveys in order to publish reliable and comparable results.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Oceanology, MARE Centre, University of LIEGE, B6C, 4000 LIEGE, Sart Tilman, Belgium. Electronic address: jonathan.richir@alumni.ulg.ac.be.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Richir
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Oceanology, MARE Centre, University of LIEGE, B6C, 4000 LIEGE, Sart Tilman, Belgium.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gobert
mesh_terms: D035961:Alismatales / Q000737:chemistry*; D000818:Animals; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000032:analysis*; D049878:Mytilus / Q000737:chemistry*; D012623:Seawater; D014131:Trace Elements / Q000032:analysis; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D019216:Metals, Heavy; D014131:Trace Elements; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
keywords: Bioaccumulation behaviour; Mediterranean; Mytilus galloprovincialis; Posidonia oceanica; Trace Element Pollution Index; Trace Element Spatial Variation Index