MARINE-INVERTEBRATES AS BIOINDICATORS OF ORGANOTIN CONTAMINANTS - IMMUNOTOXICITY AND EMBRYOTOXICITY

The main purpose of this research is to detect and select bioindicator s which may be helpful for monitoring and controlling coastal ecosyste m quality with special attention to the risk of poisoning by toxic org anotin compounds. A few species of marine invertebrates have been chos en, i.e., tunicates, molluscs and echinoderms, to test their reliabili ty as indicators. The immunotoxicity test applied here is based on the analysis of the effects on in vitro yeast phagocytosis by haemocytes. In addition, the embryotoxicity test examines the effects of these co mpounds on various embryonic developmental stages beginning from post- fertilisation. The obtained results suggest that the effects of these environmental pollutants: i) are concentration-dependent, ii) are stri ctly related to their lipophilic properties, iii) influence cell calci um homeostasis, and iv) inhibit mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylatio n.