![]() However, if their concentrations exceed the natural levels, it will cause a serious threat to marine life. Trace levels of trace metals naturally occur in the marine environment, and many of them at low concentrations are essential for marine life. The anthropogenic sources of metals include agriculture, fossil fuel extraction, refining and burning, chemical production, and intentional and accidental discharges. ![]() The natural process includes river discharge, rock weathering, wind-generated dust from arid and semi-arid regions of the continents, and hydrothermal circulation at mid-ocean ridges. Trace metals are introduced into the coastal waters through natural process and anthropogenic activities. Most of the world’s wastes around 20 billion tons per year end up in the sea, often without any preliminary processing. Incidents of coastal and marine water pollution have increased throughout the world, mainly due to discharges from rivers, increased surface run-off, drainage from expanding port areas, oil spills, discharges from shipping activities, and domestic and industrial effluent discharges. Economic developments and urbanization are taking place at an accelerated rate in the coastal zones across the world, putting enormous pressures on coastal waters and marine habitats. Marine pollution is a major problem that has negative effects on the ocean’s ecosystems. Research into the development and application of accurate biomarker-based monitoring tools for the environmental contaminants has been intensified in several developed countries. Owing to their short time of response, biomarkers in marine bivalves are used as early warning signals of biological effects caused by environmental pollutants. Therefore, the need to detect and assess the effects of contaminants, especially at low concentrations, has led to the development of molecular markers of contaminant effects called biomarkers. Chemical analyses measure the contaminants present in the biota but do not necessarily reveal potential biological effects. Marine bivalves (mussel, oyster, and clam) have been successfully used as sentinel organisms for monitoring contaminant levels, including trace metals, in coastal waters around the globe. Several environmental contaminants including toxic trace metals are being discharged into the coastal environment causing serious threat to marine organisms and posing public health risk.
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