Heavy Metal And Hydrocarbons Bioaccumulation By Two Bivalve’s Species From Santos Bay, Brazil

Contaminants compounds like Heavy Metals and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAH's) are primarily sourced from industrial and urban areas. As pollutants, these chemical elements and compounds are potentially toxic and present the capacity to negatively impact the ecosystem, especially the most sensitive ones such as estuaries. Bivalves' species have been successfully utilized as monitoring tools to evaluate pollutants bioaccessibility around the globe. The present study assessed heavy metals (Zn, Cd, Ni, Fe, Cr, Cu and Pb), As and PAH's levels in two mollusk species (Perna perna and Crassostrea rhizophorae) from Santos Estuarine System, in São Paulo State, in order to compare the effectiveness of each species in the biomonitoring process. According to the obtained data, Perna perna mussels may be better indicators of environmental pollution than Crassostrea rhizophorae oysters for some metals (Iron and Nickel) and hydrocarbons. On the other hand, in the present study, oysters had a higher capacity for retaining zinc, copper, and cadmium, due to their peculiar physiological characteristics.