VERBI VEnice Research BIbliography

This study aims to evaluate the possible use of the polychaetes, Perinereis cultrifera, as indicators of organic contamination in the sediments of the Lagoon of Venice. Organisms from a reference site were exposed in laboratory to natural sediments differently contaminated by PCBs and PAHs for 14 and 25 days. The biological responses were evaluated as percentage variations relating to controls of the body burden of each contaminant and of malondialdehyde (MDA), a metabolite indicating oxidative stress within the organisms.
The results showed a significant bioaccumulation of each PCB congener in worms exposed for 25 days to the most contaminated sediment, whereas a slight depletion was evidenced in worms exposed to the reference sediment. On the contrary, the samples exposed for 14 days to both sediments evidenced more erratic trends. The PAH concentrations resulted highly variable according to each different compound; however, their reduction was more repeatedly observed, following the induction of the efficient enzymatic systems able to metabolised them. The results of MDA content demonstrated that also in this species this metabolite should be considered as a generic stress index, influenced by various environmental and endogenous disturbing factors.
Although preliminary, these data indicate that the polychaete P. cultrifera may be a promising indicator of the sediment PCB contamination in the Venice Lagoon.