EVALUATION OF THE POLLUTION BY ORGANOCHLORINATED COMPOUNDS (POLYCHLOROBIPHENYLS AND PESTICIDES) AND METALS CD, CR, CU AND PB IN THE WATER AND IN THE ZEBRA MUSSEL (DREISSENA-POLYMORPHA PALLAS) OF THE RIVER SEINE

The relationships between some organochlorines and metals in the water and in the zebra mussel of the river Seine have been studied in the P arisian area. The bioconcentration of PCBs by the mussel (Kb = 17 x 10 (3)) was about 10 fold higher than for other organochlorines. The accu mulation and the release response of the mussel to alterations of the water organochlorine levels occurred within a period smaller than 7 da ys. The correlation between the water and the mussel levels is highly significant for gamma HCH and PCBs (r=0.94, p<0.01 and r=0.87, p<0.05, respectively). The Pb bioconcentration (0.15 x 10(3)) was about 20 fo ld lower than the Cu and Cr (3.4 and 3.0 x 10(3), respectively). The C u and the Pb levels in the water and in the mussel followed a parallel course. Cu and Pb appear to be taken up and released relatively rapid ly within a 7 day period. Comparisons between the different stations a long the river Seine showed that the highest pollutant levels in the w ater were found downstream Paris and were fairly well reflected by the mussel levels. However, when pollution reaches top values, the mussel metabolic activities are affected and thus, the bioconcentration abil ity too.