Baseline trace metals in gastropod mollusks from the Beagle Channel, Tierra del Fuego (Patagonia, Argenitna)

M.E. CONTI; J. STRIPEIKIS; M. GRAZIA FINOIA; MABEL TUDINO

ECOTOXICOLOGY

SPRINGER

Lugar: Berlin; Año: 2012 vol. 21 p. 1112 - 1125

0963-9292

With the aim to evaluate the mollusk Nacella (P)magellanica as biomonitor of elemental pollution inseawater of the Beagle Channel, more than one hundred individuals of the gastropod were sampled, separated in viscera and muscle, and then examined with respect to the accumulation of Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn. Collection was performed in seven strategic locations along 170 km of the coastal area of the Beagle Channel (Tierra del Fuego,Argentina) in two campaigns during 2005 and 2007. Samples of surrounding seawater in the different sites were obtained and tested for the same metals as well. The accumulation capacity of Nacella (P)magellanica and thus its aptitude as biomonitor, was evaluated through the calculus of the preconcentration factors of the metals assayed. A discussion involving the comparison with other mollusks previously tested will be given. Several statistical approaches able to analyze data with environmental purposes were applied. Non parametric univariate tests such as Kruskal?Wallis and Mann?Whitney were carried out to assess the changes of the metal concentrations with time (2005 and 2007) in each location. Multivariate methods (linear discriminant analysis on PCA factors) were also applied to obtain a more reliable site classification. Johnson?s probabilistic method was carried out for comparisonbetween different geographical areas. The possibility of employing these results as heavy metals background levelsof seawater from the Beagle Channel will be debated.