Heavy metal concentrations in the Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas

Heavy metals present in high concentrations in aquatic habitats are bioaccumulated within the tissues of intertidal organisms. The chemical analyses of animal tissues and sediments provide an indication of bioavailability of heavy metals in the environment. Monitoring of the coastal pollution using organisms is widely practiced all over the world.Chemical analysis of the tissues of Pacific oyster, Crassostrea gigas, and river sediments were used in this study to monitor the environmental concentrations, of cadmium, copper, lead and zinc of shallow coastal areas near to the river mouths of Mahurangi, Awaruku, Waiake, Taiorahi and Wairau. All of these river mouths are situated along the northeastern coast of Auckland. Each month, during the period of November 2002 to October 2003, three replicate samples of oysters, and sediments were collected from each of the river mouths for analysis. Three additional replicate samples of oysters were collected separately, in each month in order to calculate the condition index of oysters. Oyster tissues and sediments were analysed with Inductively Coupled Atomic Plasma Emission Spectrometer to detect the concentration levels of cadmium, copper, lead and zinc.The highest level of copper and zinc concentrations in the oyster tissues was observed in the river mouth of Wairau. Wairau river mouth receives water from heavily urbanised and industrialised catchments. A higher concentration of cadmium was observed in the oysters of the river mouth of Mahurangi than in the oysters in the other sites. The reason for this difference could be due to the heavy use of cadmium contaminated fertilizers at the pasture lands situated around the Mahurangi estuary. Therefore, the relationship between the land use of the catchments and the degree of pollution of the estuarine habitats could be established from the data obtained from this study. Higher concentrations of heavy metals were found in the sediments of Waiake, Taiorahi and Wairau compared to the sediments of Mahurangi and Awaruku. Significantly higher level of copper was observed in the sediments of Awaruku. However no clear co-relation was found between heavy metal concentration in oysters and in sediments. Variations of the condition of oysters were closely related to seasonal changes of the life cycle of the oysters. No clear relationship was found between the condition of the oysters and the heavy metal concentration of the river mouth habitats.This study provides evidence that Pacific oysters are good organisms to use as bioindicators of environmental heavy metal levels in shallow coastal waters. The results of this study suggest a clear relationship between the heavy metal concentration in river waters and the land use of the catchment areas of those rivers. The results may be useful in management strategies of the northeastern coastal areas of Auckland