Biomonitoring heavy metals (Cu, Li and Mn) in the Marchica Lagoon of Morocco using Mytilus galloprovincialis

Abstract

Concentration of Copper, Lithium and Manganese were determined in the whole soft tissues of Mytilus galloprovincialis, collected from the two sites (Bni Ansar and Kariat Arekmane) of the Marchica lagoon of Morocco. The mussels were sampled on December and July of 2019. The ability of mussels to accumulate metals was arranged in the following order: Li < Cu < Mn. The levels of heavy metals in M. galloprovincialis were higher (P<0.05) in December (7.38, 2.63 and 11.10 mg/kg d.w., for Cu, Li and Mn, respectively) than July (5.56, 1.85 and 7.24 mg/kg d.w., for Cu, Li and Mn, respectively) because of the environmental parameters of the seawater and the physiological status of the animal. The trends of accumulations of investigated metals in mussel were higher (P < 0.05) in samples from Bni Ansar than from Kariat Arekmane sites, because of the urban and industrial discharge that submitted the zone of lagoon near to the Bni Ansar city. The Mn concentration in the mussel exceeded the acceptable guidelines limits indicated by international organization, which suggests that consumption of bivalves represents a threat to human health. The studied mussel is suitable biomonitors to investigate heavy metals contamination in the coastal area of the Moroccan Mediterranean coasts.