title: Relationships between lines of evidence of pollution in estuarine areas: Linking contaminant levels with biomarker responses in mussels and with structure of macroinvertebrate benthic communities.
abstract: Data obtained in a pollution survey performed in estuarine areas were integrated using multivariate statistics. The sites selected for the study were areas affected by treated and untreated urban discharges, harbours or industrial activities as well as reference sites. Mussels were transplanted to each site and after different times of exposure, samples of water, sediments and mussels were collected. Biomarkers were analysed on mussels after 3 and 21 days of transplant whereas concentrations of contaminants were measured in water, sediments and mussels after 21 days of transplant. The structure of macroinvertebrate benthic communities was studied in sediment samples. Studied variables were organised into 5 datasets, each one constituting a line of evidence (LOE): contaminants in water, contaminants in sediments, contaminants accumulated by transplanted mussels, biomarkers in transplanted mussels and changes in the structure of macroinvertebrate benthic communities of each sampling site. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) identified the variables of each LOE best explaining variability among sites. In order to know how LOEs relate to each other, Pearson's correlations were performed. Contaminants in sediments were not correlated with the rest of LOEs. Contaminants in water were significantly correlated with contaminants and biomarkers in mussels and with structure of macroinvertebrate benthic communities. Similarly, significant correlations were found between contaminants and biomarkers in mussels and between biomarkers in mussels and structure of macroinvertebrate benthic communities. In conclusion, biomarker responses give relevant information on pollution in estuarine areas and provide a link between chemical and ecological statuses of water bodies in the context of the Water Framework Directive.
authors.affiliation: Environmental Hydraulics Institute "IH Cantabria", University of Cantabria, c/ Isabel Torres nº 15, 39011 Santander, Spain; 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: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: De Los Ríos
authors.affiliation: Environmental Hydraulics Institute "IH Cantabria", University of Cantabria, c/ Isabel Torres nº 15, 39011 Santander, Spain.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Echavarri-Erasun
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Chemistry, IDAEA-CSIC, Jordi Girona 18-26, 08034 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lacorte
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Chemistry, IDAEA-CSIC, Jordi Girona 18-26, 08034 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain; Mexican Center of Innovation in Geothermal Energy (CeMIE-Geo), Earth Sciences Division, CICESE, Av. Rinconada del Pedregal 95, Pedregal Playitas, 22860 Ensenada, B.C., Mexico.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sánchez-Ávila
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Ecophysiology, Biochemistry and Toxicology Group, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, B-2020 Antwerp, Belgium.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: De Jonge
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Ecophysiology, Biochemistry and Toxicology Group, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, B-2020 Antwerp, Belgium.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Blust
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 nº 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; D049872:Bivalvia / Q000502:physiology*; D017753:Ecosystem; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D063366:Estuaries; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000737:chemistry; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
keywords: Biomarkers; Caged bivalves; Environmental pollutants; Lines of evidence; Macroinvertebrate benthic communities; Multivariate analysis