title: Heavy metal contamination along the China coastline: A comprehensive study using Artificial Mussels and native mussels.
abstract: A comprehensive study was carried out to assess metal contamination in five cities spanning from temperate to tropical environment along the coastal line of China with different hydrographical conditions. At each of the five cities, Artificial Mussels (AM) were deployed together with a native species of mussel at a control site and a polluted site. High levels of Cr, Cu and Hg were found in Qingdao, high level of Cd, Hg and Pb was found in Shanghai, and high level of Zn was found in Dalian. Furthermore, level of Cu contamination in all the five cities was consistently much higher than those reported in similar studies in other countries (e.g., Australia, Portugal, Scotland, Iceland, Korea, South Africa and Bangladesh). Levels of individual metal species in the AM showed a highly significant correlation with that in the native mussels (except for Zn in Mytilus edulis and Cd in Perna viridis), while no significant difference can be found between the regression relationships of metal in the AM and each of the two native mussel species. The results demonstrated that AM can provide a reliable time-integrated estimate of metal concentration in contrasting environments over large biogeographic areas and different hydrographic conditions, and overcome the shortcomings of monitoring metals in water, sediment and the use of biomonitors.
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Natalie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Degger
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China; State Key Laboratory in Marine Pollution, Hong Kong, China. Electronic address: Jillchiu@hkbu.edu.hk.
authors.forename: Jill M Y
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Chiu
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China; School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Beverly H K
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Po
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Anna C K
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Tse
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Gene J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.affiliation: National Marine Environmental Monitoring Center, State Oceanic Administration, Liaoning, China.
authors.forename: Dong-Mei
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: College of Marine Life Science, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China.
authors.forename: Di
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: City University of Hong Kong Shenzhen Research Institute, Shenzhen, China.
authors.forename: Yu-Shan
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China.
authors.forename: Xin-Hong
authors.initials: XH
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Marine Biology Institute, Shantou University, Shantou, China.
authors.forename: Wen-Hua
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology and Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China; State Key Laboratory in Marine Pollution, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: T C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Lau
authors.affiliation: Department of Science and Environmental Studies, Hong Kong Education University, Hong Kong, China; State Key Laboratory in Marine Pollution, Hong Kong, China. Electronic address: rudolfwu@ied.edu.hk.
authors.forename: Rudolf S S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Wu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002681:China; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000378:metabolism*; D009792:Oceans and Seas; D012117:Resins, Synthetic / Q000737:chemistry; D049876:Unionidae / Q000378:metabolism*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D019216:Metals, Heavy; D012117:Resins, Synthetic; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
keywords: Aquatic system health; Artificial Mussels; China coastline; Heavy metal; Live mussels