dc.description.abstract | By applying advanced techniques that are available now days, it is relatively
feasible to determine and monitor the degree of pollution of marine systems.
However, it is still difficult to evaluate the effects that pollution may have on
marine organisms and, in general, on the environment.
A way to overcome this limit is by biomonitoring, i.e. by monitoring the
biological responses of selected organisms (namely biomarkers) to pollutants.
Many species of molluscs have been labelled as efficient biomarkers. In my
research project the aim was to verify the appropriateness of limpets (Patella
caerulea) as biomarkers by analyzing specimens of Patella collected in sites with
different degrees of pollution along the coasts of the Campania region (Italy). To
reach my goal, I measured the potential damage of pollutants at two levels:
somatic (by monitoring gill histopathologies) and germinal (by monitoring gonad
chromosomic aberrations).
My results suggest that pollutants caused a significant damage in natural
populations of P. caerulea.
The gills of specimens collected from polluted sites presented structural changes,
cell and tissue degeneration (cells with vacuoles, dissociation of haemocele septa,
nuclear alterations), or the development of compensative mechanisms related to
environmental toxicity (epithelium swelling, hyperplasia and fusion of septa).
Furthermore, although preliminary, the results suggest that the level of gill injury
appeared to be related to the degree of pollution of the study site. Finally, gill
aberrations were always higher in each study site compared to the reference site.
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The gonads of individuals of polluted sites also showed comparatively higher
rates of chromosome aberrations, which are supposed to be a by product of an
exposition to heavy metal and organic pollutants.
In conclusion, the results obtained in my research project suggest that pollutants
may act on the cells both of the somatic and germinal lineage in Patella and are
thus potentially dangerous for the whole natural population of limpets of the
Campania region | en_US |