Publication Abstract

Biomarker responses in mussels, an integrated approach to biological effects measurements

Steven Brooks, Brett Lyons*, Freya Goodsir*, John Bignell* and John Thain*

Biological effects techniques have been used with the aim to further integrate biological effects measurements with chemical analysis and to apply these methods to provide an assessment of mussel health status. Live native mussels were collected from selected coastal and estuarine sites around the British Isles including the rivers Test, Thames, Tees and Clyde, and Lunderston Bay. A suite of biological effects techniques were carried out on these mussels including whole organism responses (scope for growth), tissue responses (histopathology) and subcellular responses (lysosomal stability, multi-xenobiotic resistance (MXR), and Comet assay). In addition, whole mussel homogenates were used to measure organic (PAHs, PCBs) and metal concentrations. Overall the mussels collected from the Thames were in relatively poor health, based on histopathological markers, significantly higher DNA damage and elevated expression of MXR detoxifying proteins. In contrast, the mussels collected from the River Test were in the best health based on histopathological markers, respiration rate (SFG) and low DNA damage. In conclusion the biological effects were able to distinguish between relatively contaminated and clean environments with the Thames mussels in worst health. Mussel tissue chemistry data were not able to explain the variations in biological response. It was concluded that the difference in health status of the mussels at the different sites was due to either effects of contaminants that were not measured, or mixture toxicity combining to produce a threshold effect.

Reference

Steven Brooks, Brett Lyons*, Freya Goodsir*, John Bignell* and John Thain* (2009) Biomarker responses in mussels, an integrated approach to biological effects measurements. Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health, Part A, 72: 196-208, 2009