title: Measuring biological responses at different levels of organisation to assess the effects of diffuse contamination derived from harbour and industrial activities in estuarine areas.
abstract: To evaluate the effects of diffuse contamination, biological measurements were applied in a scrap cargo harbour, a marina and an industrial area. Metal accumulation and biomarkers (survival in air, digestive gland and gonad histopathology, lysosomal membrane stability, intralysosomal metal accumulation, transcription of vitellogenin and MT20, peroxisome proliferation and micronuclei formation) were measured in transplanted mussels, together with metrics of benthic invertebrates. Benthic species were classified into ecological groups and univariate indexes were calculated. The marina showed high richness (16) and percentage of opportunistic species (55.1%) and low metal accumulation. Mussels in the scrap cargo harbour showed high metal accumulation, up-regulation of MT20 transcription, reduced health status (LP<6 min) and increased micronuclei frequencies (up to 11.3‰). At the industrial area, low species richness (4) and badly organised assemblages were detected and chemical analyses indicated significant amounts of bioavailable metals. Overall, selected biological measurements showed potential for the assessment of diffuse contamination.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Cell Biology and Histology, Department of Zoology and Animal Cell Biology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Sarriena z/g, E-48940 Leioa, Basque Country, Spain; Environmental Hydraulics Institute "IH Cantabria", University of Cantabria, c/Isabel Torres n° 15, 39011 Santander, Spain.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: de Los Ríos
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Cell Biology and Histology, Department of Zoology and Animal Cell Biology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Sarriena z/g, E-48940 Leioa, Basque Country, Spain.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pérez
authors.affiliation: Environmental Hydraulics Institute "IH Cantabria", University of Cantabria, c/Isabel Torres n° 15, 39011 Santander, Spain.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Echavarri-Erasun
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Cell Biology and Histology, Department of Zoology and Animal Cell Biology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Sarriena z/g, E-48940 Leioa, Basque Country, Spain; Research Centre for Experimental Marine Biology and Biotechnology PIE, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Areatza z/g, E-48620 Plentzia, Basque Country, Spain.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Serrano
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Cell Biology and Histology, Department of Zoology and Animal Cell Biology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Sarriena z/g, E-48940 Leioa, Basque Country, Spain; Research Centre for Experimental Marine Biology and Biotechnology PIE, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Areatza z/g, E-48620 Plentzia, Basque Country, Spain.
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Barbero
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Cell Biology and Histology, Department of Zoology and Animal Cell Biology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Sarriena z/g, E-48940 Leioa, Basque Country, Spain; Research Centre for Experimental Marine Biology and Biotechnology PIE, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Areatza z/g, E-48620 Plentzia, Basque Country, Spain.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ortiz-Zarragoitia
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Cell Biology and Histology, Department of Zoology and Animal Cell Biology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Sarriena z/g, E-48940 Leioa, Basque Country, Spain; Research Centre for Experimental Marine Biology and Biotechnology PIE, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Areatza z/g, E-48620 Plentzia, Basque Country, Spain.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Orbea
authors.affiliation: Environmental Hydraulics Institute "IH Cantabria", University of Cantabria, c/Isabel Torres n° 15, 39011 Santander, Spain.
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Juanes
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Cell Biology and Histology, Department of Zoology and Animal Cell Biology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Sarriena z/g, E-48940 Leioa, Basque Country, Spain; Research Centre for Experimental Marine Biology and Biotechnology PIE, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Areatza z/g, E-48620 Plentzia, Basque Country, Spain. Electronic address: mirenp.cajaraville@ehu.es.
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Cajaraville
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D063366:Estuaries; D006066:Gonads / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D007221:Industry; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000032:analysis* / Q000633:toxicity; D049878:Mytilus / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics; D013030:Spain; D015854:Up-Regulation; D014819:Vitellogenins / Q000235:genetics; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis* / Q000633:toxicity
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D019216:Metals, Heavy; D014819:Vitellogenins; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
keywords: Benthic assemblages; Biomarkers; Caged mussels; Diffuse pollution; Harbours; Industrial areas