Effects of nanoparticles in Mytilus edulis gills and hepatopancreas - a new threat to marine life?

Every day new extraordinary properties of nanoparticles (a billionth of a meter) are discovered and worldwide millions are invested into nanotechnology and nanomaterials. Risks to marine organisms are still not fully understood and biomarkers to detect health effects are not implemented, yet. We used the filter feeding blue mussel as a model to analyse uptake and effects of nanoparticles from glass wool, a new absorbent material suggested for use in floating oil spill barriers. In both, gills and hepatopancreas we analysed uptake of nanomaterials by transmission electronmicroscopy (TEM) in unstained ultrathin sections over a period of up to 16 days. Lysosomal stability and lipofuscin content as general indicators of cellular pathology and oxidative stress were also measured. As portals of uptake, diffusion and endocytosis were identified resulting in nanoparticle accumulation in endocytotic vesicles, lysosomes, mitochondria and nuclei. Dramatic decrease of lysosomal membrane stability occurred after 12h of exposure. Lysosomal damage was followed by excessive lipofuscin accumulation indicative of severe oxidative stress. Increased phagocytosis by granulocytes, autophagy and finally apoptosis of epithelial cells of gills and primary and secondary digestive tubules epithelial cells indicated progressive cell death. These pathological responses are regarded as general indices of toxic cell injury and oxidative stress. By the combinational use of biomakers with the ultrastructural localisation of nanoparticle deposition, final evidence of cause-effect relationships is delivered.

The liver of wrasse - morphology and function as a mirror of point source chemical impact.

Corkwing wrasse (Symphodus melops L.), a protogynous, non-migratory lipfish species, living close to rocky shores was chosen as an indicator species for the monitoring of biological effects of contaminants. Fish were caught by local fisherman at the Norwegian west coast in fjord sites within the framework of the EU BEEP project. The sites represented different point source impacts of (I) copper (a former copper mine), (II) polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs, aluminium smelter discharge), (III) formaldehyde plus PAHs (kelp-factory and influence of the aluminium smelter). Livers of wrasse were studied for histopathological alterations and compared to healthy livers of fish from a reference location. Besides liver morphology, different functional and metabolic parameters were measured to link pathological alterations to functional disorders. The integrity of the lysosomal compartment was tested by the assessment of lysosomal membrane stability (lys), and the accumulation of neutral lipids and lipofuscin. Activity and intracellular localisation of the NADPH-producing enzymes in the liver were assessed histochemically and measured by computer-assisted image analysis. Histopathological alterations were most severe at the site impacted by formaldehyde and PAHs. These findings were associated with highest tumor prevalence, lowest membrane stabilities in hepatocytes and highest accumulation rates of lipofuscin in the liver. The activities of the NADPH-producing enzymes phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (PGDH) and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH) were significantly lower compared to unimpacted reference fish. Histopathological alterations showed clear differences dependent on the input source. Potential links between specific contaminant impact and functional and morphological disorders are discussed.