A first field evaluation of heavy metals uptake by innovative artificial mussel (AM) technology versus live mussel (LM) from inshore of the Bay of Bengal, Bangladesh and the application of AM technology for global pollution study

The comparative application of innovative artificial mussel (AM) technology together with live mussel (LM) has yet to be performed in the coastal waters of Bangladesh. Here, we report the accumulation of targeted metals (Cd, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, U and Zn) in both AM and LM (Perna viridis) from inshore of the Bay of Bengal, Bangladesh. AMs and LMs were deployed in two sites (MaheshKhali Channel and Reju Khal mouth, Cox's Bazar district), in the Bay of Bengal, Bangladesh for this research study. Our data suggest that the uptake of Cu, Pb and Ni have correlated positively between AM and LM. The first equilibrium phase of metal uptake in AMs was achieved around day 7 for most of the metals, and the kinetics of uptake from day 0 to day 7 is descended as follows: Zn>Fe>Mn>Ni>U>Cu>Cd>Pb. In contrast, the concentration of metals in LM has not been changed a lot from its background level and found highly enriched in Fe, Pb and U compared to AMs. The overall uptake patterns show that AM can provide precise and time-integrated metal concentrations without any biological influence associated with LMs. Based on our research, AM technology can be a good replacement for bioindicator (live mussel) to monitor heavy metals in waterways since a) all of our targeted metals were accumulated in both AM and LM; and b) both AM and LM show a similar metal uptake, in particular, the uptake of Cu, Pb, and Ni in AM was found positively correlated with LM.