COMPARISON OF METALLOTHIONEIN INDUCTION IN RESPONSE TO CADMIUM IN THEGILLS OF THE BIVALVE MOLLUSKS MYTILUS-GALLOPROVINCIALIS AND RUDITAPESDECUSSATUS

Metal binding characteristics and metallothionein induction differ mar kedly among the gills of the bivalve molluscs Mytilus galloprovinciali s and Ruditapes decussatus exposed to sublethal cadmium concentrations (100 mu g/l). The rates of cadmium uptake as well as the percentage o f cadmium bound to the cytosol were significantly higher in the gills of M. galloprovincialis when compared with that of R. decussatus. Simi larly metallothionein concentration detected in the gills of M. gallop rovincialis increase fourfold while for the clam R. decussatus metallo thionein concentrations increased only twofold. (C) 1998 Elsevier Scie nce B.V.