Organotropism and biomarker response in oyster Crassostrea gigas exposed to platinum in seawater.

Platinum (Pt) is a technology critical element (TCE) for which biogeochemical cycles are still poorly understood. This lack of knowledge includes Pt effects on marine organisms, which proved to be able to bioconcentrate this trace element. Oysters Crassostrea gigas were exposed to stable Pt isotope spiked daily in seawater for 35 days.

Tracing platinum accumulation kinetics in oyster Crassostrea gigas, a sentinel species in coastal marine environments.

Platinum Group Elements (PGEs) are extremely scarce in the Earth's Crust and of strong interest for high-end technologies due to their specific properties. They belong to the Technology Critical Elements (TCEs) for which use is forecast to increase, implying growing emissions into the environment in the following years. In particular, with the intensive use of platinum (Pt) in car catalytic converters, the anthropogenic geochemical cycle of this element has surpassed the natural cycle.