Toxicologia Ambiental e Analítica

Influence of a Ferronickel Smelting Plant Activity on the Coastal Zone through Investigation of Metal Bioaccumulation on Two Gastropod Species (Patella caerulea and Phorcus turbinatus)

Abstract

Bordbar L, Dassenakis M, Catsiki VA and Megalofonou P

The impact of a ferronickel smelting plant on the coastal zone has been investigated through metal bioconcentration by two common Mediterranean gastropod species (Patella caerulea and Phorcus turbinatus) collected seasonally together with seawater. P. caerulea presented higher Zn and Fe levels, while Ph. turbinatus higher Mn and Cu ones. The highest concentration of metals was measured in the stations close to the smelting plant in both species. P. caerulea displayed higher seasonal metal levels during autumn and winter as seawater did, while Phorcus displayed higher metal levels in spring. Statistically significant positive correlation was found between the dissolved concentration of Fe and Mn in seawater and the soft tissues in Ph. turbinatus, whereas the same was detected for Zn in P. caerulea. The Cluster analysis based of metals uptake was similar for both species except for Mn and Cu, in P. caerulea and Ph. turbinatus, respectively. The bioaccumulation metals in the two gastropods indicated that the ferronickel smelting plant has a heavily impact on the coastal zone, contaminating the coastal biocenoses with Fe, Mn and Zn. Finally, it seems that Ph. turbinatus reflects better the environmental conditions and could be considered as more efficient bioindicator.