Litioaren toxikotasuna muskuiluetan

Abstract

Prozesu eta gailu industrial askotan litioaren erabileraren hedatzeak ingurumenean eragin lezake hurrengo urteetan. Hala ere, informazio gutxi dago litioak itsas organismoetan duen toxikotasunari buruz. Beraz, ikerketa honen helburua litioaren toxikotasuna eta alterazio histologikoak zehaztea da, Mytilus galloprovincialis muskuilua ekosistemaren osasuna ebaluatzeko behatzaile gisa erabiliz. Horretarako, toxikotasun akutuko testa eta test subletala burutu ziren. Emaitzek erakutsi zuten LC50-ren balioa ingurumenean aurkitutako kontzentrazioak baino handiagoa zela, baina, era berean, litioak alterazio histopatologikoak eragin ditzakeela kontzentrazio txikiagoetan. Ikerketa honen aurkikuntzek ikuspegi berriak irekitzen dituzte litioak itsas organismoetan dituen ondorio toxikoak ulertzeko.

The increased use of lithium in lots of industrial processes and devices could produce an environmental impact on aquatic environment in coming ages. However, there is only scarce information concerning the toxicity of lithium in marine organisms. Therefore, the aim of this research is to determine the toxicity and histological alterations of lithium, using the mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis as a model organism for ecosystem health assessment. For this purpose, an acute and a sublethal toxicity tests were headed. Results showed that the LC50 value was higher than concentrations found in ambient waters, but also showed that lithium induces histopathological alterations in lower concentrations. The findings of this research open new perspectives for the understanding of the toxic effects of lithium on marine organisms.