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Toxicokinetic approach for the assessment of endocrine disruption effects of contaminated dredged material using female Carcinus maenas

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Abstract

Ecotoxicological effects associated with contaminants present in dredged material from three Spanish ports, Ría of Huelva (SW, Spain), La Coruña (NW, Spain) and Bay of Cádiz (SW, Spain) were determined using a marine biotest based on endocrine disruption effects (vitellogenesis process alteration). Intermoult female Carcinus maenas were exposed in the laboratory to sediments from the Spanish ports per replicate during 21 days. Crab haemolymph samples were taken for vitellogenin/vitellin (VTG) analysis on days 0, 7, 14 and 21. Furthermore, chemical analysis was performed in the stations to determine the degree and nature of sediment contamination (Cr, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd, Pb, Hg, As, PAHs and PCBs). A significant induction (P < 0.05) in vitellogenin/vitellin concentration was observed over time in individuals exposed to sediment samples containing significant concentrations of PAHs, PCBs, Hg, Pb and Zn. The toxicokinetic approach, proposed in this study related to the use of this biomarker in C. maenas, proved to be a powerful and sensitive tool to evaluate toxicity effects associated with contaminants present in dredged material. Moreover the integration of the results obtained through multivariate analysis approach (MAA) allowed the identification contaminants bound to sediments associated with adverse effects, validating the use of this marine biotest in a regulatory framework.

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported by a grant from the Convenio PICOVER (Consejería de Medio Ambiente, Junta de Andalucía, Spain) and by grant REN2002–01699 from the Spanish National Plan for research, innovation and development (Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnología). English in the manuscript has been edited by Tom Ransome.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Instituto de Ciencias, Marinas de Andalucía (CSIC), Campus Río Pedro s/n, 11510 Puerto Real, Cadiz, Spain

    M. Laura Martín-Díaz

  2. Departamento de Química Física, Facultad de Ciencias del Mar y Ambientales, Universidad de Cádiz (UCA-CSIC), Campus Río Pedro s/n, 11510 Puerto Real, Cadiz, Spain

    M. Laura Martín-Díaz

  3. Dpto. Ingeniería Química, Tecnología de los alimentos y Tecnología del Medio Ambiente, Facultad de Ciencias Del Mar y Ambientales, Universidad de Cádiz, Campus Río San Pedro s/n, 11510 Puerto Real, Cadiz, Spain

    Diego Sales

  4. Departamento de Química Física, Facultad de Ciencias del Mar y Ambientales, Universidad de Cádiz, Campus Río San Pedro s/n, 11510 Puerto Real, Cadiz, Spain

    Ángel DelValls

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  1. M. Laura Martín-Díaz
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  2. Diego Sales
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  3. Ángel DelValls
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Correspondence to M. Laura Martín-Díaz.

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Martín-Díaz, M.L., Sales, D. & DelValls, Á. Toxicokinetic approach for the assessment of endocrine disruption effects of contaminated dredged material using female Carcinus maenas . Ecotoxicology 17, 495–503 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10646-008-0203-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10646-008-0203-3

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