Inquinamento da metalli pesanti in relazione ai processi metabolici: importanza delle metodiche di speciazione

In this study we analyzed organic and inorganic arsenic species in mussels, Mytilus galloprovincialis and Tapes philippinarum, collected in sites of the Venice and Marano Lagoons of different pollution levels. The obtained values were considered together with the life environment and health state of the mussels, the glutathione S-transferase (GST) activity, the size of gills, glands, and the rest of the body, the food abundance and variety. Furthermore, we considered the filtering capacity, the hydrodynamics of the various sampling sites and the environmental quality in general. Higher metabolic efficiency, higher percentages of arsenobetaine (considered non-toxic) and higher GST activity were found in mussels sampled at sites with low pollution. In conclusion, our results support the view that the concentrations and relative abundance of arsenic species in mussels are related to environmental quality, biodiversity and the detoxification enzyme activities in mussels underlining the importance of speciation methods to understand results.