Sentinel Species - Ecological Biomarkers: Indicators of Ecotoxicological Effects - page 162

TABLE 7.1
Parameters of Linear Regression Showing Relationship between Cu Exposure
Concentration Giving an Inhibition of 50% of Photosynthesis and Cu Concentration in
River from Which Algae Were Isolated

Taxa n a b r

Bacillariophyceae 47 1.2 0.79 0.68*

Charophyceae 10 1.8 0.65 0.76*

Cyanophyceae 19 1.2 0.36 0.60*

Chlorophyceae
(Chlorococcales)

24 2.6 0.32 0.42*

Chlorophyceae
(Chaetophorales)

9 1.3 0.77 0.64

Achnanthes minutissima
(bacillariophyceae)

9 1.9 0.74 0.78*

Achnanthes linearis
(bacillariophyceae)

4 1.9 0.58 0.75

Nitzschia palea
(bacillariophyceae)

3 1.3 0.50 0.99

Synedra rumpens
(bacillariophyceae)

3 0.7 2.4 1.00*

Chlorella vulgaris
(chlorococcale)

4 2.5 0.64 0.59

Scenedesmus acutus
(chlorococcale)

5 3.1 0.13 0.18

Klebsormidium klebsii
(charophyceae)

3 1.7 0.64 0.98

Source: Takamura, N. et al., J. Appl. Phycol ., 1, 39-52, 1989.
* Significant correlation.

forms of storage in the oysters. These differences were attributed to different genetic
characteristics having led to different responses of the organisms in the presence of con-
taminants. Furthermore, Wallner-Kersanach et al. (2000) showed that the rate of elimina-
tion of copper in oysters is influenced by their environmental history: the metal is more
easily eliminated (30% after 30 days) in animals temporarily (60 days) transplanted into
a copper-rich site, than in those which had permanently resided in the same contami-
nated site (elimination limited to 9% after 30 days). The importance of exposure history
was also revealed by Nigro et al. (2006) and by Regoli and Principato (1995) studying,
respectively, the differences in the sensitivity of genotoxic and cellular responses, and in
the contents of glutathione and of some enzymes involved in the antioxidative defenses,
of mussels native to a polluted zone or transplanted from a control zone. For early and
very sensitive biomarkers (e.g., lysosomal membrane integrity and DNA strand breaks),
the origin of the mussels had no influence, whereas for biomarkers of chronic contamina-
tion (the appearance of micronuclei or lipofuscin accumulation) a higher sensitivity was
observed in specimens originating from the contaminated site (Nigro et al. 2006). Regoli
and Principato (1995) did not observe differences between mussels subjected to a chronic
exposure (natives) and those transplanted (acute exposure) in glutathione levels or in
glyoxalase I activity, whereas different activities were observed for catalase and alkaline
phosphatase between the two mussel groups. Bolognesi et al. (2004) noted that a parallel