Claessens, M.

Coates, D.

Janssen, C.R.

Rappé, K.

Vincx, M.

Open Marine Archive

  - 60 -
BIOMARKER RESPONSES IN MYTILUS EDULIS FOLLOWING IN SITU 
EXPOSURE IN BELGIAN COASTAL HARBOURS  
Rappé Karen1, Michiel Claessens2, Delphine Coates1, Colin R. Janssen2  
and Magda Vincx1 
1 Ghent University (UG), Biology Department, Marine Biology Section, Campus De Sterre, 
Krijgslaan 281 / S8, 9000 Gent, Belgium 
E-mail: Karen.Rappe@UGent.be   
2 Ghent University (UG), Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology and Aquatic Ecology, Jozef 
Plateaustraat 22, 9000 Gent, Belgium 
 
The presence of micropollutants, such as organotins, pharmaceuticals, phenols, 
pesticides, etc. is determined in Belgian coastal harbours (Janssen et al., in press).  
These findings require the assessment of the potential impacts of these chemicals on 
marine organisms living in the harbours and the coastal zone. 
During long-term in situ cage experiments, executed in 2007-2008, pollutant induced 
stress in mussels (Mytilus edulis) was measured using general biometric variables such 
as growth and condition indices. High growth and condition index values were reached 
at an ‘open’ sea station, followed by an outer harbour station in Zeebrugge, lower 
values were found at the marina of Zeebrugge followed by the marina of Oostende. 
In a second approach, biomarkers such as Lysosome Membrane Stability (LMS), 
Cellular Energy Allocation (CEA) and 7-ethoxyresorufin-0-deethylase (EROD) were 
employed in order to detect the short term effects of different concentrations of 
micropollutants on the cellular level. In order to obtain a high level of standardization, 
transplanted mussels originating from the Eastern Scheldt were caged. The cages were 
deployed simultaneously for a period of six weeks, at three different harbour stations: 
Oostende marina, Zeebrugge outer harbour and Zeebrugge marina. Control 
measurements were obtained from the Eastern Scheldt mussels.  
After in situ exposure the biometric variables, growth and condition indices, showed no 
significant change in time neither between the different stations. However the biomarker 
values were strongly influenced by the local pollution. The LMS results were comparable 
with the long term biometric results as they were significantly lower in the more polluted 
marinas (ZB marina 51RT; OO marina 42RT) in comparison with the blank (82RT), but 
not significantly different with the outer harbour station (68RT). CEA values were in all 
harbour stations  significantly lower (range 1190h – 1207h) compared to the blank 
(1848h). On their turn EROD data were significantly higher in the harbour stations (OO 
marina 6.9μM; ZB outer harbour 11.2μM) compared to the blank (3.6μM), with the 
exception of the marina of Zeebrugge (3.4μM).  
Based on these findings we can conclude that mussels in Belgian coastal harbours are 
living under very stressful conditions as negative impacts are observed on a long term 
on the organism level and on a short term on the cellular level.  
Reference 
Janssen et al. (In press). SSD Final Report (Phase 1) Integrated monitoring for risk assessment of 
micropollutants: linking health and ecology. Belgian Science Policy. 


Biomarker responses in <i>Mytilus edulis</i> following in situ exposure in Belgian coastal harbours

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