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Explora: Environment
and Resource Trace elements in Mediterranean mussels

contribute to increased baseline levels of bioavailability of effectiveness of using mussels as bioindicators to assess
numerous trace elements in living organisms. Moreover, contamination levels in specific areas influenced by
the historical exploitation of these mineral resources natural or anthropogenic factors that significantly impact
has undoubtedly contributed to the dispersion of large trace element bioavailability. These are schematically
quantities of minerals into the environment. For instance, summarized in Figure 3. In the Western Mediterranean
the site of Laurion, located in southern Attica between and the Alboran Sea, elevated bioaccumulation of arsenic,
Thoricus and Cape Sounion (Greece), is characterized cadmium, mercury, lead, and zinc has been reported in
by ancient mines. The mines have been exploited since mussels as a consequence of historical mining activities
pre-historic times for copper and galena (lead sulfide). and the resuspension of sediments due to cyclonic and
Numerous excavations were opened over the centuries anticyclonic currents and streams, and intense maritime
to extract silver, iron, lead, and zinc ores, a practice that traffic. High bioavailability of zinc persists in the Alboran
continued until the last century. Sea due to the flow of waters naturally enriched in this
element from the Gulf of Cadiz (Section 3.3, Figure 3A).
4. Overview Moving to the Central Mediterranean, numerous
Among the main focuses, the natural phenomena areas in the Tyrrhenian Sea are characterized by high
mediating the bioavailability of trace elements in mussel mercury bioavailability due to geological anomalies (HgS
tissues have been examined, as well as the baseline and deposits in Mount Amiata, central Italy) and volcanic
seasonal fluctuation ranges of concentrations of numerous activity (Vesuvius, Campi Flegrei, and volcanic Aeolian
elements, according to the most recent scientific literature. Islands, southern Italy), with additional anthropogenic
Furthermore, various case studies have demonstrated the contamination, mainly due to the presence of chloro-alkali

Table 4. Maximum levels of selected trace elements in mussels from Greek coasts, according to the original investigations 59‑61
Location Period Cd Cr Cu Fe Mn Ni Zn
North Evoikos Gulf 1993 - 32.7 12.6 1557 - - 71.9
Elefsis Bay a 2000 – 2001 4 32 60 1500 50 12 600
Larymna (wild mussels) 2006 - 20.9 - 1082 - 21.1 -
Larymna (transplanted mussels) 2006 - 25 - 898 - 50.3 -
Notes: Data deduced from Figure 3 reference 61; Data expressed as mean values (standard deviation not reported) in µg/g (dry weight).
a
A B C

Figure 3. Schematic summary of the main natural and anthropogenic sources of the increased bioavailability of trace elements in Mediterranean mussels
discussed in the present revision: (A) Western Mediterranean (the Iberian Peninsula and North Africa); (B) Central Mediterranean (Italy and the Balkans);
(C) Eastern Mediterranean (Greece and Turkey) (further details in the text).
Abbreviations: As: Arsenic; Ba: Barium; Cd: Cadmium; Cr: Chromium; Fe: Iron; Hg: Mercury; Ni: Nickel; Pb: Lead; Zn: Zinc.

Volume 2 Issue 2 (2025) 13 doi: 10.36922/eer.8078