Mussels are one of nature’s yardsticks for coastal water quality, and they even help filter it. But with mussel numbers declining from Western Europe to the Arctic due to climate change, Environment Agency scientists are exploring new ways to sample water, News Cover reports, citing UK government.
Each spring, Environment Agency officers collect samples of Atlantic Blue Mussels (Mytilus edulis) from the Camel estuary in Cornwall as part of their routine water quality monitoring. The Camel is one of around twenty sites in a national network.
The mussel flesh is removed from the mussels and then sent to the Environment Agency laboratories at Starcross and Leeds where it is analysed for a range of chemical contaminants found in the shellfish.
Mussels are perfect bioindicators of pollution as they are relatively long-lived, filter large amounts of water and absorb a wide range of pollutants in the water, accumulating them in their tissues. This makes them useful in understanding water quality.
But Atlantic Blue Mussels are facing a worrying decline, suspected to be caused by climate change.
In response, Environment Agency scientists are working with CEFAS (Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science) to evaluate new innovations which may help us sample water whilst protecting and conserving mussels.
Passive monitoring techniques use thin film membranes to absorb chemicals and pollutants present in the water and, if successful, may replace the need for using mussels.
