Effects of sewage discharges on lipid and fatty acid composition of the Patagonian bivalve Diplodon chilensis

ROCCHETTA, IARA; PASQUEVICH, MARÍA Y.; HERAS, HORACIO; RÍOS DE MOLINA, MARÍA DEL CARMEN; LUQUET, CARLOS M.

MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN

PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD

Año: 2014 vol. 79 p. 211 - 219

0025-326X

Lipid and fatty acid (FA) composition and selected oxidative stress parameters of freshwater clams(Dipolodon chilensis), from a sewage-polluted (SMA) and a clean site, were compared. Trophic markersFA were analyzed in clams and sediment. Saturated FA (SAFA), and bacteria and sewage markers wereabundant in SMA sediments, while diatom markers were 50% lower. Proportions of SAFA, branched FA,20:5n 3 (EPA) and 22:6n 3 (DHA) were higher in SMA clams. Chronic exposure of D. chilensis toincreasing eutrophication affected its lipid and FA composition. The increase in EPA and DHA proportionscould be an adaptive response, which increases stress resistance but could also lead to higher susceptibilityto lipid peroxidation TBARS, lipofuscins (20-fold) and GSH concentrations were higher in SMAclams. FA markers indicated terrestrial plant detritus and bacteria are important items in D. chilensis diet.Anthropogenic input in their food could be traced using specific FA as trophic markers.