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Assessment of coastal pollutants and health status of Pacific oysters (Magallana gigas) in the Bahía Blanca Estuary and adjacent beaches (Argentina)
Summary
Researchers assessed the health of Pacific oysters from two coastal zones in Argentina with different levels of human activity, measuring metals, pesticides, microplastics, and other pollutants in their tissues. Oysters from the more industrialized estuary showed higher concentrations of metals and hydrocarbons, along with tissue damage and signs of cellular stress. The study highlights that even oysters from less impacted beaches contained detectable levels of multiple pollutants, pointing to the widespread nature of coastal contamination.
This study assessed the effects of pollutants on Magallana gigas along a coastal zone with different levels of human activity: a highly impacted zone in the Bahía Blanca Estuary and a less impacted zone on the adjacent sandy beaches. Oysters collected in 2021 were analyzed for various factors, including metals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), organochlorine pesticides, microplastics, oxidative stress and histology. Oysters of both environments exhibited detectable concentrations of all these pollutants in their tissues. However, the estuarine oysters showed higher concentrations of Zn, Cu and As and total PAHs than the beach oysters. Banned organochlorine pesticides were detected only in beach oysters. Estuarine oysters displayed morphological changes in their digestive gland including a reduction in the mean epithelial thickness of the tubule and elevated lipid peroxidation levels, indicating cellular damage. This study underscores the widespread presence of pollutants in M. gigas, indicating the need for effective strategies to safeguard coastal ecosystem health.