Assessment of soil metallic contamination in several sites from Northeast Algeria by use of terrestrial gastropod: Cornu aspersum (O.F. Müller, 1774) (Helicidae)
No Thumbnail Available
Date
2023-06-26
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
researchgate
Abstract
ABSTRACT
The study aimed to determine concentrations of some trace elements (Fe, Mn, and Pb) in soils
of five sites in Northeast Algeria (Sidi Ammar, Drean, Chatt, Besbes, and El-Kala) during
the spring and autumn of 2019. All of the sites were chosen due to their proximity to industrial
factories. In addition, the activity of glutathione S-transferase (GST) and acetylcholinesterase
(AChE), indicators of oxidative stress and neurotoxicity respectively, were measured in land
snail Cornu aspersum (O.F. Müller, 1774) (Mollusca Gastropoda Helicidae) collected from
all studied sites. The concentration of heavy metals in these soils decreases as follows: Fe >
Mn > Pb. GST and AChE activities were found to vary between sites and by season. The
highest levels of GST activity were registered during the spring at sites closest to potential
sources of pollution. AChE values showed inhibition in spring as compared to autumn. In addition,
the highest inhibition values were recorded at the Sidi Ammar
site. These
increased
levels
of bioindication stress responses correlated significantly with increasing metal concentration
in soil samples collected at each site. The
differences
recorded between the sites
studied
are related to their level of pollution, while the seasonal variations were due to the effect
of heavy metals leaching in autumn.