Accumulation and Release of Heavy Metals (Cu, Zn, Cd and Pb) in the Mussel, Mytilus galloprovincialis; Reciprocal Transplantation Experiment

Accumulation and Release of Heavy Metals (Cu, Zn, Cd and Pb) in the Mussel, Mytilus galloprovincialis; Reciprocal Transplantation Experiment

Mussel, Mytilus galloprovincialis, was transplanted reciprocally between contaminated site (St. STP) and relatively less contaminated site (St. UB) in Onsan Bay, Korea in order to estimate heavy metal accumulation and release. Transplanted and indigenous mussels were collected 8 times over 108 days deployment at both sites and analyzed for Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn using ICP/MS. Cu and Zn concentration did not show any significant differences between transplanted and indigenous mussels throughout the experiment period, although dissolved Cu and Zn concentrations in seawater were significantly higher at contaminated site. Pb accumulated rapidly, while Cd did not show any accumulation in the mussels transplanted from St. UB to St. STP. These accumulation patterns might reflect the variation of dissolved metal concentration; dissolved Pb concentration was significantly higher in St. STP than St. UB, while dissolved Cd concentration was similar between both sites throughout this experiment. Release of Cd and Pb in the mussels transplanted from St. STP to St. UB was not significant during the transplantation period. The levels and variation of Pb and Cd concentrations in mussels transplanted from St. STP to St. UB were similar to those in the indigenous mussels at St. STP throughout the period. Therefore, Cd and Pb accumulated in indigenous mussels may indicate the integrated metals throughout their lives, not responding to the present status of seawater because the release of accumulated metals in mussels occurs very slowly when the seawater metal levels are lowered. On the other hand, since the transplanted mussels can respond immediately to the levels of metals in seawater, it may be suggested that the present status of heavy metals in seawater can be only acquired from the metal levels of mussels transplanted from clean environments.