Metal Pollution and Ecotoxicology of the Boka Kotorska Bay

Modern economic development of the Boka Kotorska Bay, known for its outstanding natural values, in terms of dynamics and size, is often not in line with the principles of environmental protection. As a consequence, over the recent decades, the Bay has been exposed to anthropogenic pollution. Marine sediment acts at the same time as a depositor and also the secondary source of pollutants, thus the analysis of pollutants in sediment is of vital importance for the estimation of its quality. Based on the results obtained over the past two decades, this paper considers characterization of sediment of the Boka Kotorska Bay in terms of heavy metal content and an assessment of heavy metal contamination in sediment and biota (Mytilus galloprovincialis and Posidonia oceanica), by applying environmental quality indexes: Enrichment Factor (EF), Metal Pollution Index (MPI), and Geo-accumulation Index (Igeo). Since 2009, the Institute of Marine Biology Kotor has been conducting Biomonitoring in the framework of the Environmental Monitoring Programme for Montenegro – Program monitoring of the coastal sea ecosystem status of Montenegro, under the MED POL program. The main activities are aimed at determining the environmental status of the Boka Kotorska Bay marine ecosystem by analyzing the parameters and biomarkers described by MED POL program. Beside the recommended biomarkers (metallothioneins, acetilholinesterase, catalase test, glutathione S-transferase, micronuclei test) a new approach of seawater quality biomonitoring was established and it is based on physiological biomarkers of benthic invertebrates. Analysis of all biomarkers showed the pollution trends in Boka Kotorska Bay.