Molluscan lysosomal responses as a diagnostic tool for the detection of a pollution gradient in Tolo Harbour, Hong Kong

Sub-cellular perturbations in the lysosomal compartment of molluscan haemocytes were examined in mussels (Perna viridis), collected along a pollution gradient. The neutral red technique was validated using a well defined contamination gradient among indigenous populations from five stations along Tolo Harbour, Hong Kong. Condition indices (shell length:dry tissue wt) and tissue metal concentrations were also measured in an attempt to identify a relationship between contamination level and adverse physiological effects. Correlations were found between lysosomal retention time and condition along the pollution gradient. There were significant differences between mussels collected from stations on offshore islands and those collected from inner harbour sites (p < 0.05). There was, however, little correlation between metal concentrations and retention time or condition (p > 0.05).