Influence of gonadal development on metal accumulation in the Portuguese oyster,Crassostrea angulata,in subtropical areas

Metal enrichment makes oyster considered to be an appropriate food source for trace elements, but excessive accumulation can threaten human health. Reproduction is an important biotic factor that affects the metal accumulation in oysters. However, the influence of continuous gonad development model on metal accumulation in some subtropical oysters is still unclear. The present study addresses the concentrations of trace metals and glycogen associated with the gonadal and somatic tissues throughout the reproductive cycle of diploid and triploid Crassostrea angulata cultured in Fujian, China. Cu, Zn and Pb contents of gonads were negatively correlated (p < 0.05) with gonadosomatic index (GSI). The correlation between Cd content and GSI was not significant. There was a positive correlation (p < 0.05) between GSI and Mn content in female gonads while the correlation was negative (p < 0.05) in males, indicating Mn plays an important role in gametogenesis of females. The effects of gonadal maturity and gender on metal accumulation in somatic tissue were not significant (p > 0.05). The concentrations of all metals in sterile triploids were not significantly different from those of the somatic tissue of diploids. Gonadal glycogen content showed a negative correlation with the GSI. However, somatic glycogen content was not affected by gonadal development, indicating that the energy consumed during gametogenesis comes mainly from recently ingested food rather than from energy stored in somatic tissue. The effects of the gonadal development on the metal accumulation in oysters varied according to the metal and tissue type.