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A REVIEW OF THE USE OF MOLLUSCS AS BIOMONITORS OF THE HEAVY METALS CONTENT IN AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS

Tatyana Krupnova

Abstract

Molluscs are frequently used as a biomonitor of heavy metals (HMs) pollution of sea water and fresh water. This is because mollusks are very sensitive to sudden change of abiotic factors, they have a high rate of metals bioaccumulation, and there is a correlation between HMs concentration in molluscs and water and bottom sediment. Gastropods are important for biomonitoring of fresh surface waters. ItпїЅs well known that gastropods as biomonitor organisms have several advantages such as a reasonable size for analysis, a sedentary or less mobile behaviour, low enzyme activities for pollutant metabolize. The aim of this paper are to collect and analyze information on the use of different species of molluscs as biomonitors for HMs pollution in aquatic ecosystems. Numerous studies have been cited to establish and evaluate the relationship between metal contents of water, sediment fractions, suspended matter and mollusc tissue concentrations. Usually different statistical methods of analysis are used to find correlations between the content of metals in water sediments and the mollusc body. Different methods of analysis (Atomic Absorption analysis, X-ray fluorescence and others) are used to find the concentrations of HMs in in the mollusc tissues and shells.

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