title: Are Mussels Always the Best Bioindicators? Comparative Study on Biochemical Responses of Three Marine Invertebrate Species to Chronic Port Pollution.
abstract: Bivalves have traditionally been considered good bioindicators due to their sensitivity to pollution, among other features. This characteristic is shared by several other non-bivalve species as well, though studies in this respect remain scarce. This work aims to compare biomarker sensitivity to chronic port pollution among three intertidal invertebrate species with good bioindicator characteristics. Mussels' immunological (phenoloxidase and peroxidases) and biotransformation (glutathione-S-transferase) responses were contrasted against those of limpets and barnacles. The three species under study evidenced activity of all the enzymes measured, although with differences. Barnacle Balanus glandula was the most sensitive species showing pollution modulation of the three enzymes, which suggests that mussels would not always be the best bioindicator species among marine invertebrates depending on the responses that are assessed.
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Fisiología de Organismos Acuáticos, Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras (IIMyC), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata (UNMdP), Funes 3350, 7600, Mar del Plata, Argentina. vlaitano@mdp.edu.ar.
authors.forename: María V
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Laitano
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Fisiología de Organismos Acuáticos, Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras (IIMyC), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata (UNMdP), Funes 3350, 7600, Mar del Plata, Argentina.
authors.forename: Analía V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Fernández-Gimenez
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D001711:Biotransformation; D049872:Bivalvia / Q000378:metabolism*; D004787:Environmental Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005982:Glutathione Transferase / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D005982:Glutathione Transferase
keywords: Biochemical biomarker; Bioindicators; Marine invertebrates; Port pollution