Trace metals in different species of mollusca, water and sediments from Taiwan coastal area

Since October 1994, a long-term program of Asia/Pacific Mussel Watch: Taiwa n Regional Studies has been carried out. The results indicate that trace me tal contents in mollusca varied among 30 different species and the environm ents (water and sediments) along the Taiwan coast. The orders of bioaccumul ation of trace metals in mollusca were: Cu (over 200 mug/g), Thais claviger a > Isognomon legumen > Clibanarius rivescens > Crassostrea gigas; Zn (over 700 mug/g), Moruta granulata > C. gigas > Asiatica cypraea arabica > T, cl avigera; Cd (over 5 mug/g), P. flexuosa > C. gigas > T, hanleyanus > Acanth opleura japonica > Nerita albicilla > Patella flexuosa; Pb (over 2 mug/g) P . flexuosa > C, gigas > T, hanleyanus > T. clavigera > C. gigas > Capiyulum mitella; Ni (over 10 mug/g), Meretrix lusoria > Philine sp. > Littoraria s cabra > Tridacna squamosa > T. hanleyanus; Cr (over 30 mug/g), Littorarai u ndulata > T. hanleyanus > N. albicilla > Nerita chamaelor > M/ granulata; A s (over 20 mug/g), Perna viridis > L. scabra; and Sn (over 5 mug/g), P. vir idis > L. undulata > C. mitella > C. gigas. Their seasonal and regional var iations as well as their correlation are evaluated and discussed. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.