Influence of weight on the content of trace metals in tissues of Mytilus galloprovincialis (Lamarck, 1819): a forecast model

• Published in: Environmental monitoring and assessment 2008-06, Vol.141 (1-3), p.27-34
• Main Authors: Conti, Marcelo Enrique, Iacobucci, Marta, Cecchetti, Gaetano, Alimonti, Alessandro
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Accuracy; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Animals; Applied ecology; Approximation; Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution; Atomic absorption spectroscopy; Biological and medical sciences; Breakwaters; Cadmium; Earth and Environmental Science; Ecology; Ecotoxicology; Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution; Environment; Environmental biomonitoring; Environmental Management; Environmental monitoring; Environmental Monitoring - methods; Forecasting; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General aspects; Italy; Lead; Marine; Metal concentrations; Metals; Metals - analysis; Models, Theoretical; Mollusks; Monitoring/Environmental Analysis; Mytilus - chemistry; Mytilus galloprovincialis; Organisms; Physiology; Spectral analysis; Spectrometry; Spectrophotometry, Atomic; Statistical analysis; Studies; Trace elements; Trace Elements - analysis; Trace metals; Zinc
• ISSN: 0167-6369; 1573-2959
• DOI: 10.1007/s10661-007-9875-z

Fifty seven samples of Mytilus galloprovincialis (Lamarck, 1819) collected along the breakwater barriers of Fano (station 1) and Pesaro (station 2), Adriatic Sea, Marche Region, central Italy, were analyzed by atomic absorption spectrometry and Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn concentrations in the soft tissues were measured. The aims of this work were the statistical analysis of Cd-weight, Cu-weight, Pb-weight, Zn-weight relationships, and the building of a tendency function that allows assessing with a good approximation the concentrations of a metal in different weight organisms. In Mytilus galloprovincialis the content of Cd proportionally grew with the weight and therefore its concentration was independent from this factor; while the concentration of Pb decreased as the weight increased. In both cases the accuracy of multiple regression models improved considering the variable 'site', while the same approach appeared not reliable for Cu and Zn, that were two essential metals. Our results showed that a tendency function was reliable, solid and able to predict to a very satisfying extent the concentration of non-physiological metals, like Cd and Pb; while it did not show a good approximation with real Cu and Zn contents.