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3A - Biomarker/Biomonitoring (TU8/9) Biological effects in fish and mussel in the German Bight as a result of the Elbe flood August 2002? Einsporn, Sonja1, Koehler, Angela1, 1 Alfred Wegener Institut for Polar and Marine Research, Bremerhaven, Germany ABSTRACT- Biological effects in liver of flounder (Platichthys flesus L.) and digestive gland of blue mussel (Mytilus edulis) from the Elbe estuary were studied to detect possible deleterious effects of the Elbe flood catastrophe in August 2002. Increased levels of alpha-HCH, Lindane, DDD, DDE, (3-4 fold) arsenic and lead (2-3 fold) were recorded in water samples in Lower Saxony. Beside the dramatic decrease of salinity to 3 PSU by the high freshwater outflow from the upper Elbe river an increased transport of pollutants could be taken into account. Low salinities caused high mortalities of Arenicola and cockles (Cerastoderma) (Common Wadden Sea Secretariat, Wilhelmshaven) while no information was available on mortalities in blue mussel.. We sampled flounder and blue mussel from the inner Elbe estuary (Brunsbuettel, Medem Sand), Tiefe Rinne (half way to Helgoland) and along the northern Wadden Sea coast. Internationally applied core biomarkers (lysosomal membrane stability, lipid accumulation, biotransformation enzymes) were tested to assess toxic effects of putatively increased pollution levels. In comparison to earlier data of long-term studies (Phd Katja Broeg, University of Hannover) we found a significant impairment of the function of cell organelles (lysosomes) involved in detoxification and elimination of pollutants in fish liver during our sampling campaigns end of August and beginning of October after the flood wave had reached the estuarine region. The lysosomal membrane stability of liver of flounder caught at Medem Sand and Tiefe Rinne showed a significant decrease of the mean destabilization time from 30 min in the year 2000 down to 15 min after the Elbe flood. To study possible chronic effects of contaminants transported by the flood wave on central metabolic and detoxifying organs (liver and digestive gland) of marine organisms another campaign will be performed by AWI in spring 2003. Key words: toxic effects, Elbe flood August 2002, flounder, blue mussel |
