AccScience Publishing / EER / Online First / DOI: 10.36922/eer.8078
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REVIEW ARTICLE

Bioaccumulation of trace elements in mussels as sentinels of environmental pollution in the Mediterranean Sea: A review

Daniele Fattorini1,2*
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1 Department of Life and Environmental Sciences (DISVA), Polytechnic University of Marche (UNIVPM), Ancona, Marche, Italy
2 National Inter-University Consortium for Marine Sciences, CoNISMa, Ancona, Marche, Italy
EER, 8078 https://doi.org/10.36922/eer.8078
Submitted: 19 December 2024 | Revised: 6 March 2025 | Accepted: 11 March 2025 | Published: 2 April 2025
© 2025 by the Author(s). This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ )
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Abstract

Mussels, as filter feeders, efficiently accumulate various pollutants from the surrounding water, making them valuable bioindicators of marine environmental quality. This review focuses on their application in assessing trace element contamination in the Mediterranean Sea. Trace elements such as arsenic, cadmium, lead, mercury, and zinc are commonly identified in mussels due to their potential toxicity and bioaccumulation. Seasonal variations in trace element concentrations in mussel tissues are influenced by factors such as phytoplankton blooms, gametogenesis, temperature, and salinity. However, anthropogenic activities, including industrial discharges, mining, and urban runoff, can significantly elevate these levels. The Mediterranean Sea is particularly vulnerable to pollution due to its enclosed nature and high human population density. Natural and geological phenomena contribute to the increased bioavailability of certain elements, such as arsenic and mercury, in the Adriatic Sea and the Tyrrhenian Sea. An in-depth understanding of these phenomena is fundamental for interpreting data from scientific studies and environmental monitoring. Regions with historical mining activities, such as the Iberian Peninsula and North Africa, show elevated levels of elements such as lead and zinc. Areas with significant industrial activities, such as the Gulf of Taranto and the Gulf of Trieste (Italy), also exhibit elevated levels of trace elements in mussels. The Eastern Mediterranean, including the Aegean and Marmara Seas, is characterized by widespread pollution from urban and industrial sources, as well as maritime traffic. Mussels from these regions often exhibit high levels of trace elements, particularly in areas near major cities and industrial centers. This review examines literature from the past 25 years concerning the use of mussels as bioindicators in the study of natural and anthropogenic phenomena affecting the bioavailability of trace elements in the Mediterranean Sea, providing an overview of case studies and environmental monitoring commonly carried out in this area.

Keywords
Bioaccumulation
Environmental monitoring
Mediterranean
Mussels
Pollution
Trace elements
Funding
None.
Conflict of interest
Daniele Fattorini is an Editorial Board Member of this journal but was not involved in any way in the editorial and peer-review process conducted for this paper, either directly or indirectly. Separately, the author declares that he has no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have influenced the work reported in this paper.
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