Bioaccumulation and effects of PCBs and heavy metals in sea stars (Asterias rubens, L.) from the North Sea: a small scale perspective
Danis, B.; Wantier, P.; Flammang, R.; Pernet, P.; Chambost-Manciet, Y.; Coteur, G.; Warnau, M.; Dubois, P. (2006). Bioaccumulation and effects of PCBs and heavy metals in sea stars (Asterias rubens, L.) from the North Sea: a small scale perspective. Sci. Total Environ. 356(1-3): 275-289. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2005.05.029
In: Science of the Total Environment. Elsevier: Amsterdam. ISSN 0048-9697; e-ISSN 1879-1026
Sea stars (Asterias rubens L.) were collected in different stations distributed in the Southern Bight of the North Sea. Concentrations of four heavy metals and six PCB congeners were measured in two body compartments (body wall and pyloric caeca). In order to assess the potential harm of these contaminants, two biochemical parameters were measured in sea stars, viz. reactive oxygen species (ROS) production by amoebocytes and cytochrome P450 immunopositive protein (CYP1A IPP) induction in pyloric caeca. Sea stars from stations located in the plume of the Scheldt river showed the highest contamination levels. Other stations, similarly located, displayed lower levels. No simple relationship could be established between ROS production by sea star amoebocytes and contaminant levels measured in sea star tissues. CYP1A IPP induction displayed more contrasted responses, and highly significant regressions were found between PCB concentrations measured in pyloric caeca and CYP1A IPP. Both biological parameters were found to vary significantly over the study area. On the whole, data indicated that contamination levels and subsequent effects in sea stars were comparable to those described in previous large-scale studies, but that working at a smaller scale highlighted the existence of patterns of contamination which can blur general trends due to major contamination sources like contaminated rivers.
All data in the Integrated Marine Information System (IMIS) is subject to the VLIZ privacy policy
