Laboratoire de Biologie Marine, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium.
Aquat Toxicol. 2011 Oct;105(3-4):698-707. doi: 10.1016/j.aquatox.2011.09.007. Epub 2011 Sep 16.
Echinoderms are known to readily incorporate metals in their calcified endoskeleton. It is currently unclear if this has an impact on the skeleton function or if this can be considered as a detoxification mechanism. In the present work, populations of the sea urchin Echinus acutus and the starfish Asterias rubens were studied in stations distributed along a metal contamination gradient in a Norwegian fjord (Sørfjord). Ossicles involved in major mechanical functions - sea urchin spine and starfish ambulacral plate - were analyzed for their metal concentration (Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn) and their biometric and mechanical properties. Starfish plates were more contaminated by Cd, Pb and Zn than sea urchin spines. Cu concentrations were at background levels. In E. acutus, metals principally affected size. In A. rubens, material stiffness and toughness were decreased in the most contaminated station. This reduction is attributed either to the direct incorporation of metals in the calcite lattice and/or to deleterious effects of metals during skeleton ontogenesis. The contrasting incorporation of metals in the skeleton of the two investigated species accounts for the different impact of the metals, including in terms of fitness. The present results clearly indicate that, at least in A. rubens, incorporation of metals in the skeleton cannot be considered as a detoxification mechanism.
棘皮动物的钙化内骨骼易于积累金属。目前尚不清楚这是否会影响骨骼功能，或者这是否可以被视为一种解毒机制。在本研究中，研究了分布在挪威峡湾（索湾）金属污染梯度上的站点中的棘皮动物海胆和海星的种群。分析了参与主要机械功能的小骨（海胆刺和海星步带板）的金属浓度（Cd、Cu、Pb 和 Zn）及其生物计量和机械性能。与海胆刺相比，海星板受到 Cd、Pb 和 Zn 的污染更为严重。Cu 浓度处于背景水平。在 E. acutus 中，金属主要影响大小。在 A. rubens 中，最污染的站点的材料硬度和韧性降低。这种减少归因于金属在方解石晶格中的直接掺入和/或金属在骨骼发生过程中的有害影响。两种研究物种骨骼中金属的不同掺入方式解释了金属的不同影响，包括对适应性的影响。本研究结果清楚地表明，至少在 A. rubens 中，金属在骨骼中的掺入不能被视为解毒机制。
