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Heavy metal levels in the sediments of four Dar es Salaam mangroves: accumulation in, and effect on the morphology of the periwinkle, Littoraria scabra (Mollusca: Gastropoda)
De Wolf, H.; Ulomi, S.A.; Backeljau, T.; Pratap, H.B.; Blust, R. (2001). Heavy metal levels in the sediments of four Dar es Salaam mangroves: accumulation in, and effect on the morphology of the periwinkle, Littoraria scabra (Mollusca: Gastropoda). Environ. Int. 26: 243-249. https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0160-4120(00)00113-6
In: Environment International. Pergamon: New York. ISSN 0160-4120; e-ISSN 1873-6750, more
Peer reviewed article  

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Keywords
    Biological phenomena > Accumulation > Bioaccumulation
    Biology > Physiology > Ecophysiology
    Chemical elements > Metals > Heavy metals
    Detection > Pollution detection
    Gastropods
    Mangroves
    Mollusks
    Morphology
    Morphology
    Morphology
    Pollution > Sediment pollution
    Pollution effects
    Sediments
    Taxa > Species > Indicator species
    Tissues
    Water bodies > Inland waters > Wetlands > Swamps > Mangrove swamps
    Gastropoda [WoRMS]; Mollusca [WoRMS]
    ISW, Tanzania, Dar es Salaam [Marine Regions]; Tanzania [Marine Regions]
    Marine/Coastal

Authors  Top 
  • De Wolf, H., more
  • Ulomi, S.A.
  • Backeljau, T., more
  • Pratap, H.B.
  • Blust, R., more

Abstract
    Heavy metals were determined in the soft tissue and shells of the littorinid, Littoraria scabra, and in the sediments of four mangrove areas along the Dar es Salaam coastline where L. scabra was collected. Several metals accumulate, preferentially in the animals' soft body parts, but do not seem to affect the shell morphology of this species. Sediment-metal levels, measured in the direct vicinity of Dar es Salaam have increased dramatically over the last decade. Nonetheless, these levels are still lower compared to metal-sediment levels reported in polluted European and American estuaries. Soft-tissue metal levels detected in L. scabra are, nevertheless, with the exception of Cr and Zn, comparable to metal levels reported in other gastropod species.

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