Metal and metallothionein level in the heat-treated cytosol of gills of transplanted mussels Mytilus galloprovincialis Lmk.

A stock of mussels Mytilus galloprovincialis was transplanted over 1 year to four sites in a semi-enclosed bay in Croatia which is under the influence of various sources of pollution. The positive correlation of metal (Cd, Zn, Cu, Mn, Fe) and metallothionein (MT) tissue contents based on the analysis of heat-treated cytosol of gills with shell mass, as an indicator of mussel age, indicated to accumulation of metals, as well as the increase of MTs with mussel age. The principal component analysis (PCA) revealed that 74% of total variance of obtained results could be explained through two principal components. The first principal component was highly correlated with MT, Cd and Zn indices (metal or MT content/shell mass), and the second one with Cu, Mn, and Fe indices, as well as the gill index. High correlation of MTs with Zn and Cd is consistent with their affinity for binding to MTs.