Effects of Pollution on the Amino Acid Content of Mytilus edulis

Abstract

In an attempt to determine the influence of polluted water on the amino acid content of Mytilus edulis, muscle tissue of specimens from a clean area was compared with that of specimens from polluted areas and with that of specimens transferred from clean to polluted water. Analyses were made by means of two-dimensional paper chromatography. The amino acids present under one type of environmental condition but not under another were cystine, cysteine, methionine, taurine/asparagine, and proline.