Assessment of mercury and lead contamination using the bivalve Anadara tuberculosa (Arcidae) in an estuary of the Colombian Pacific

Buenaventura Bay is considered the main estuary on the Pacific coast of Colombia, because of port and industrial activities. Mining and agriculture are major sources of contamination in the estuary. This study used the bivalve Anadara tuberculosa to evaluate the presence of mercury and lead in the Dagua River estuary (Colombia), one of the main tributaries coming into the bay. Five samplings for sediments and six for tissues of A. tuberculosa were carried out between 2016 and 2017. Additionally, a series of bioassays were conducted to determine its ability to bioaccumulate metals. A mean mercury concentration of 0.57 ± 0.74 mg*kg−1 and lead concentration of 0.87 ± 0.68 mg*kg−1 in sediment were found. Bioassays allowed us to conclude that at low mercury exposure concentrations (0.25 mg*kg−1), lesions are generated in animal tissue, mainly in sexual cells. The high concentrations of mercury found in organisms exceed the maximum permitted concentration established in Colombia. In addition, the contamination factors for mercury and lead were considered very high. This research aims at contributing to the use of Anadara tuberculosa, as prospective bioindicator for pollution biomonitoring in mangrove coastal ecosystems.