Sedimentuen toxikotasunaren azterketa integrala ekologikoki esangarriak diren espezieak erabiliz

Abstract

In the Basque coast and mainly in estuaries, sediment deposition and accumulation occurs. It is noteworthy that different human activities have influenced on sediments that have undergone important inputs of different toxic substances over the years and even today. Since polluted sediments could pose a risk for the environment, we should proceed properly for an accurate environmental management. For that, firstly it is necessary to study and understand the behavior of pollutants in sediments and then to carry out characterization of sediments. Although the legislation currently in force provides certain guidelines, several works have revealed the limitations of these policies. Therefore, in addition to conventional chemical measurements, organisms living in estuarine sediments and tests performed in them can provide very useful information on sediment toxicity (and thus future use and management). Mainly, if these sentinel organisms are ecologically relevant species that inhabit those niches. Among organisms living in sediment, the polychaete Hediste diversicolor has been used for sediment toxicity assessment using bioassays. Moreover, in vitro techniques have been described in this species as very useful tools, limiting the number of organisms used in experiments and showing them as sensitive tools. Therefore, a reliable assessment of the hazards resulting from high levels of pollutants in sediments can be achieved, after integrating chemical analysis and effects measured in ecologically relevant species (ecotoxicological analysis).