Chronic Exposure of Early Stages of Development of Japanese Oyster to Contaminants from the Industry in the English Channel. Stress Markers at Integrated and Molecular Level

This thesis explores the effects of pollutants from the industry in the English Channel, in particular radionuclides, on the early stages of development of the Japanese oyster Crassostrea gigas. Original experimental devices were designed to study in laboratory controlled conditions the growth of a large number of larvae and spats. Emphasis was given to a joint use of stress markers at integrated and molecular levels. First exposures to non-radioactive pollutants revealed a highly sensitive response of the growth of juveniles exposed to a metal (zinc). Thereafter, juveniles were exposed for several weeks to dose rates of ionizing radiation and radionuclide activities several orders of magnitude higher than the levels likely to be encountered in the marine environment. An eco-geno-toxicological approach contributed to the understanding of the effects of ionizing radiations on DNA. The results strongly suggest that biochemical mechanisms act efficiently against radio-induced damages as early as the first days of life of the Japanese oyster. It still remains a lack of information about the long-term effects of DNA damages to higher level of biological organization. (author)