Arch. Pol. Fish.     Vol. 9     Fasc. 2            2001      p. 229-237

THE BIOACCUMULATION OF HEAVY METALS BY THE MUSSELS ANODONTA WOODIANA (LEA, 1834) AND DREISSENA POLYMORPHA (PALL.) IN THE HEATED KONIN LAKES

Elżbieta Królak*, Bogusław Zdanowski**

*Institute of Biology, Podlaska Academy, Siedlce, Poland
**The Stanisław Sakowicz Inland Fisheries Institute in Olsztyn, Poland

ABSTRACT. Determinations were made of the contents of heavy metals (Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn, Pb and Cd) in the soft tissues and shells of the mussels Anodonta woodiana and Dreissena polymorpha which inhabit the discharge channels of the Pątnów and Konin power plants and the heated Konin lakes. The studied mussels contained higher concentrations of metals, especially of Cu, Zn, and Pb, than did mussels of the family Unionidae and D. polymorpha which occur in fresh water reservoirs that are not polluted by dust fall-out from power plants. In the environments which were compared, the adult mussels of the genus Anodonta cumulate metals in greater concentrations than do D. polymorpha; this is due to their life span which is at least twice as long.

Key words: ANODONTA WOODIANA, DREISSENA POLYMORPHA, HEAVY METALS, BIOACCUMULATION, POLLUTION