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3A - Biomarker/Biomonitoring (TU8/7) Comparison of techniques for metallothionein detection in mussels: laboratory and field studies. Zorita, Izaskun1, Strogyloudi, Evangelia2, Buxens, Amaia1, Mazon, Luis I1, Papathanassiou, Evangelos2, Soto, Manu1, Cajaraville, Miren P.1, 1 University of the Basque Country, Bilbao, Basque Country, Spain2 National Centre for Marine Research, Anavyssos, Attiki, Greece ABSTRACT- Metallothioneins (MT) are inducible, low molecular weight sulphydryl-rich proteins which bind essential and non-essential metals with high affinity. Among other functions, they could prevent cytotoxic effects caused by toxic metals. MT induction is widely used as a biomarker of exposure to metals in mussels and other marine organisms. In the framework of the EU-funded BEEP project, MT were measured in mussels sampled in May and September 2001 and 2002 from expected pollution gradients along the Mediterranean coasts of France, Italy, Spain and Greece. Both differential pulse polarography (DPP) and spectrophotometry were applied in order to compare the suitability of these methods for biomonitoring purposes. Trends of MT values were similar (r2=0.7523, p<0.05) with both methods but values obtained by DPP were five times higher than with spectrophotometry. The same results were obtained in a laboratory experiment in which mussels were exposed to 200 ppb (1.785 Key words: Method comparison, Metallothioneins, Biomonitoring, Mediterranean sea |
M) Cd for 9 d. Both methods were able to discriminate control and exposed mussels but differences were more prominent with the spectrophotometric method. In conclusion, both methods were useful to measure MT levels in the biomonitoring programme along the Mediterranean coast and DPP gave higher MT values in both laboratory and field studies. *Funded by projects AMB99-0324 and BEEP (EVK3-CT-2000-00025).