Lead accumulation in oyster shells, a potential tool for environmental monitoring

Research areas:

• Systèmes marins en transition

Year:

2017

Keywords:

Metals, Molluscs, , Lead anthropogenic contamination, Proxy record, European coasts

Authors:

• Elsa Cariou
• Christèle Guivel
• Carole La
• Laurent Lenta
• Mary Elliot

Journal:

Marine Pollution Bulletin

Volume:

125

Number:

1

Pages:

19 - 29

ISSN:

0025-326X

BibTex:

@article{CARIOU201719, author = "Elsa Cariou and Christ{\`e}le Guivel and Carole La and Laurent Lenta and Mary Elliot", abstract = "Pb/Ca profiles were measured on ten live collected Ostrea edulis from three sites characterized by different levels of lead content. Intra-shell and inter-shell reproducibility were tested comparing several Pb/Ca profiles measured by LA-ICP-MS within a specimen, and within specimens from the same site. Results indicate that signals recorded are reproducible and mean shell Pb/Ca values are site-dependent. Second order variability is explained either by smoothing effects, biological effects or micro-environmental heterogeneities in lead distribution. Mean Pb contents measured in marine bivalve shells are reviewed here. Ranging from 0 to 50ppm, they show a strong relationship with the environmental level of local lead contamination, and do not appear species-dependent. Our measurements show a linear relationship between mean shell Pb/Ca and surface sediment Pb concentrations, making marine bivalves and particularly O. edulis a potential accurate bio-monitoring tool able to monitor bioavailable lead along European coasts since Mesolithic, with an annual resolution.", doi = "https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2017.07.075", issn = "0025-326X", journal = "Marine Pollution Bulletin", keywords = "Metals, Molluscs, , Lead anthropogenic contamination, Proxy record, European coasts", number = "1", pages = "19 - 29", title = "{L}ead accumulation in oyster shells, a potential tool for environmental monitoring", url = "http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0025326X17306707", volume = "125", year = "2017", }

Abstract:

Pb/Ca profiles were measured on ten live collected Ostrea edulis from three sites characterized by different levels of lead content. Intra-shell and inter-shell reproducibility were tested comparing several Pb/Ca profiles measured by LA-ICP-MS within a specimen, and within specimens from the same site. Results indicate that signals recorded are reproducible and mean shell Pb/Ca values are site-dependent. Second order variability is explained either by smoothing effects, biological effects or micro-environmental heterogeneities in lead distribution. Mean Pb contents measured in marine bivalve shells are reviewed here. Ranging from 0 to 50ppm, they show a strong relationship with the environmental level of local lead contamination, and do not appear species-dependent. Our measurements show a linear relationship between mean shell Pb/Ca and surface sediment Pb concentrations, making marine bivalves and particularly O. edulis a potential accurate bio-monitoring tool able to monitor bioavailable lead along European coasts since Mesolithic, with an annual resolution.