Abstract
This article contains a dataset of the genotoxic (DNA damage, via the micronucleus frequency test) and cytotoxic (lysosomal membrane stability (cellular integrity), via the neutral red retention test) effects on the pygmy mussel, Xenostrobus securis (Bivalvia: Mytilidae) from variably contaminated sites (primarily from cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), lead (Pb) and zinc (Zn)) in the highly urbanized Sydney Estuary, south-eastern Australia. Data were collected 15 years apart (June 2004 and June 2019) to assess any change in (i) the "health" of mussels (based on the above two toxicity endpoints) and (ii) their metal contaminant status (measured as whole soft tissue concentrations of Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb and Zn). Linear relationships between both toxicity endpoints and metal concentrations in the whole soft tissue were also investigated. Multivariate statistical techniques, including principal components analysis, multidimensional scaling and cluster analysis, were also explored to reduce dimensional data, investigate patterns and assess similarities among study sites with respect to tissue metal concentrations and toxicity effects in X. securis. Enrichment factors were calculated by dividing the mean whole soft tissue metal concentration at each site in the Sydney Estuary, by its mean baseline metal concentration from near-pristine (reference) sites in the adjacent Hawkesbury Estuary. Salinity, pH, temperature, turbidity, dissolved oxygen and chlorophyll a were measured in the surface waters at each site.