Heavy metals in the fishery products of low Lazio and the use of metallothionein as a biomarker of contamination

This study aims to investigate the use of rnetallothionein as a biomarker and its envi-ronmental impact on aquatic systems. According to the species’ characteristics, the interactions of toxic elements with living organisms in marine water can lead to biomagnifications in the tropic chain or bioconcentration of what is in the water. In many aquatic organisms, the presence of met¬allothionein proteins was studied. The chemical analysis of these bioindicators establishes, there¬fore, a sensitive method for the measurement of bioavailability which, over the years, allows [or the quantification of the current pollution agents in the environment. Two study areas were selected along the Latiurn coasts. They are differentiated by their economic activities and their kind and level of environrnental impact (mainly on marine pollution). These areas were selected in or¬der to differentiate the maximum degree of both