title: Lysosomal membrane stability of the mussel, Mytilus galloprovincialis (L.), as a biomarker of tributyltin exposure.
abstract: The effect of tributyltin (TBT) on the stability of hemocytic lysosome membranes of the mussel, Mytilus galloprovincialis, and the use thereof as a biomarker of TBT-induced stress, was investigated. Mussels were exposed to 0.1 and 1.0 µg/L tributyltin respectively for 4 weeks. Lysosomal membrane stability of hemocytes was tested weekly by means of the neutral red retention time (NRRT) assay, after which the mussel samples were analyzed for TBT content. The two exposed groups exhibited significantly increased (p < 0.05) whole body TBT concentrations with concomitant significant decreases (p < 0.05) in NRRT (R(2) values of 0.85 and 0.971 for lower and higher exposure groups, respectively). The higher exposure group showed a typical dose-response curve. For the control, no TBT was detected and NRRT remained stable. It was concluded that the NRRT assay could be considered as a useful technique, and lysosomal membrane destabilization a useful early warning and cellular biomarker of stress due to TBT exposure in M. galloprovincialis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Cape Peninsula University of Technology, P.O. Box 652, Cape Town, 8000, South Africa.
authors.forename: Hussein K
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Okoro
authors.forename: Reinette G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Snyman
authors.forename: Olalekan S
authors.initials: OS
authors.lastname: Fatoki
authors.forename: Folahan A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Adekola
authors.forename: Bhekumusa J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Ximba
authors.forename: Michelle Y
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Slabber
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D006434:Hemocytes / Q000187:drug effects; D007425:Intracellular Membranes / Q000187:drug effects; D008247:Lysosomes / Q000187:drug effects; D049878:Mytilus / Q000187:drug effects*; D009499:Neutral Red / Q000737:chemistry; D014220:Trialkyltin Compounds / Q000633:toxicity*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D014220:Trialkyltin Compounds; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D009499:Neutral Red; C011559:tributyltin