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Monitoring of Organic Compounds and Trace Metals During a Dredging Episode in the Göta Älv Estuary (SW Sweden) Using Caged Mussels

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Abstract

The concentrations of selected trace metals, organotins, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were determined in caged blue mussels (Mytilus edulis) during dredging operations in the Göta Älv Estuary (SW Sweden). Maximum values of pollutants in mussel tissues were found after the dredging started. Our results showed that the dredging caused mobilization of organotins from the sediments to the water column during the experimental period. Multidimensional scaling (MDS) and cluster analysis were applied to compare and establish relationships between levels of pollutants in mussels and sampling sites during the experimental period. In order to evaluate the biological effects of contaminants, genotoxic damage was measured using the Comet assay, and its potential application for environmental monitoring is discussed.

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Acknowledgements

Authors are indebted to I. Cato for providing sediment data and to S. Jacobsson for supplying mussels. We would like to thank K. Alexandersson for his invaluable help during the field research. We also aknowledge M. Magnusson and K. Tryman. J.B. was supported by a Postdoctoral Fellowship from the Spanish Foundation Fundación Ramón Areces.

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  1. Juan Bellas

    Present address: Departamento de Ecoloxía e Bioloxía Animal, Facultade de Ciencias do Mar. Edificio de Ciencias Experimentais, Universidade de Vigo, Estrada Colexio Universitario, 36310, Vigo, Spain

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Kristineberg Marine Research Station, SE-450 34, Fiskebäckskil, Sweden

    Juan Bellas, Rolf Ekelund, Matz Berggren & Åke Granmo

  2. Institute of Biology, University of Iceland, Garðvegur 1, 245, Sandgerði, Iceland

    Halldór Pálmar Halldórsson

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Correspondence to Juan Bellas.

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Bellas, J., Ekelund, R., Halldórsson, H.P. et al. Monitoring of Organic Compounds and Trace Metals During a Dredging Episode in the Göta Älv Estuary (SW Sweden) Using Caged Mussels. Water Air Soil Pollut 181, 265–279 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-006-9298-4

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