Heavy metals in the clam Tivela mactroides Born, 1778 (Bivalvia: Veneridae) from coastal localities with different degrees of contamination in Venezuela

We compared heavy metal levels (manganese, iron, zinc, cadmium, copper, chromium, and lead) in tissues and shells of juveniles (13±2.2 mm), medium-size organisms with mature gonads (25±4.1mm), and adults (35±1.2 mm) of the clam Tivela mactroides from three different locations along the Venezuelan c...

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Main Authors: V Acosta, C Lodeiros
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Universidad Autónoma de Baja California 2004-03-01
Series:Ciencias Marinas
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.cienciasmarinas.com.mx/index.php/cmarinas/article/view/183
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author V Acosta
C Lodeiros
author_facet V Acosta
C Lodeiros
author_sort V Acosta
collection DOAJ
description We compared heavy metal levels (manganese, iron, zinc, cadmium, copper, chromium, and lead) in tissues and shells of juveniles (13±2.2 mm), medium-size organisms with mature gonads (25±4.1mm), and adults (35±1.2 mm) of the clam Tivela mactroides from three different locations along the Venezuelan coast: Playa Güiria, on the northeastern coast, was not affected by environmental pollution, but Río Chico and Boca de Paparo, influenced by the Tuy River on the central coast, were. Heavy metal concentrations were related to shell size, with significant differences among populations and shell sizes. Specimens from Boca de Paparo and Río Chico had the highest heavy metal concentrations in tissues and shells, in contrast with the levels found in specimens from Playa Güiria, in which chromium and lead were absent. The high heavy metal concentrations found in tissues from specimens collected at Boca de Paparo and Río Chico were possibly of anthropogenic origin and generated by the Tuy River. The environmental conditions at Boca de Paparo may have favored the bioaccumulation of most heavy metals in specimen tissues. At Playa Güiria, however, the heavy metal concentrations were found to be within a natural range. Our results show that T. mactroides is a good biological indicator of the presence of heavy metals in the littoral waters they inhabit.
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spelling doaj.art-84446b427c774215bdde17b4adb34cef2024-03-03T18:38:38ZengUniversidad Autónoma de Baja CaliforniaCiencias Marinas0185-38802395-90532004-03-0130210.7773/cm.v30i2.183Heavy metals in the clam Tivela mactroides Born, 1778 (Bivalvia: Veneridae) from coastal localities with different degrees of contamination in VenezuelaV Acosta0C Lodeiros1Universidad de OrienteUniversidad de Oriente We compared heavy metal levels (manganese, iron, zinc, cadmium, copper, chromium, and lead) in tissues and shells of juveniles (13±2.2 mm), medium-size organisms with mature gonads (25±4.1mm), and adults (35±1.2 mm) of the clam Tivela mactroides from three different locations along the Venezuelan coast: Playa Güiria, on the northeastern coast, was not affected by environmental pollution, but Río Chico and Boca de Paparo, influenced by the Tuy River on the central coast, were. Heavy metal concentrations were related to shell size, with significant differences among populations and shell sizes. Specimens from Boca de Paparo and Río Chico had the highest heavy metal concentrations in tissues and shells, in contrast with the levels found in specimens from Playa Güiria, in which chromium and lead were absent. The high heavy metal concentrations found in tissues from specimens collected at Boca de Paparo and Río Chico were possibly of anthropogenic origin and generated by the Tuy River. The environmental conditions at Boca de Paparo may have favored the bioaccumulation of most heavy metals in specimen tissues. At Playa Güiria, however, the heavy metal concentrations were found to be within a natural range. Our results show that T. mactroides is a good biological indicator of the presence of heavy metals in the littoral waters they inhabit. https://www.cienciasmarinas.com.mx/index.php/cmarinas/article/view/183heavy metalsclamsbivalvesbioindicatorVenezuelan seacoast
spellingShingle V Acosta
C Lodeiros
Heavy metals in the clam Tivela mactroides Born, 1778 (Bivalvia: Veneridae) from coastal localities with different degrees of contamination in Venezuela
Ciencias Marinas
heavy metals
clams
bivalves
bioindicator
Venezuelan seacoast
title Heavy metals in the clam Tivela mactroides Born, 1778 (Bivalvia: Veneridae) from coastal localities with different degrees of contamination in Venezuela
title_full Heavy metals in the clam Tivela mactroides Born, 1778 (Bivalvia: Veneridae) from coastal localities with different degrees of contamination in Venezuela
title_fullStr Heavy metals in the clam Tivela mactroides Born, 1778 (Bivalvia: Veneridae) from coastal localities with different degrees of contamination in Venezuela
title_full_unstemmed Heavy metals in the clam Tivela mactroides Born, 1778 (Bivalvia: Veneridae) from coastal localities with different degrees of contamination in Venezuela
title_short Heavy metals in the clam Tivela mactroides Born, 1778 (Bivalvia: Veneridae) from coastal localities with different degrees of contamination in Venezuela
title_sort heavy metals in the clam tivela mactroides born 1778 bivalvia veneridae from coastal localities with different degrees of contamination in venezuela
topic heavy metals
clams
bivalves
bioindicator
Venezuelan seacoast
url https://www.cienciasmarinas.com.mx/index.php/cmarinas/article/view/183
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AT clodeiros heavymetalsintheclamtivelamactroidesborn1778bivalviaveneridaefromcoastallocalitieswithdifferentdegreesofcontaminationinvenezuela