Resistance of bivalves to anoxia as a response to pollution-induced environmental stress

The effect of environmental pollution stress factors on anoxic survival time was established in three bivalve molluscs (Mytilus edulis, Scapharca inaequivalvis and Venus gallina). In order to study relationships with energy status of the cell and ATP turnover rates the accumulation of fermentative end-products and changes in the glycogen, the adenylate phosphate and the phosphoarginine pool were also estimated. The response among the different species was not consistent. In contrast to Scapharca inaequivalvis, in Mytilus edulis and Venus gallina, accumulated cadmium reduced the tolerance to anoxic conditions. In Mytilus edulis this was accompanied with enhanced metabolic activity indicating a higher anaerobic ATP utilization rate. Additional evidence from literature shows that the anoxic survival response of mussels is a simple method to judge whether environmental variables might have perturbing effects on cellular processes which lead to reduced fitness.