Mercury bioaccumulation and decontamination kinetics in the edible cockle Cerastoderma edule were
studied through a mesocosms experiment after a medium-term exposure to the metal.
The results revealed that the bivalve presented distinct bioaccumulation kinetics according to the different
tissues. While the gills showed a linear accumulation pattern, the digestive gland and the entire
organism presented a saturation model, with higher accumulation during the first 7d of exposure and
lower during the rest of the time. In addition, the bioaccumulation rate was not proportional to the Hg
concentration, since the organisms under lower contamination presented higher bioconcentration factors
than the ones under higher contamination. Gills were the tissues with higher mercury accumulation
capability.