Health assessment of the striped venus clam, Chamelea gallina, along the Adriatic Coast: Physiological indices, biochemical indicators and contaminants bioaccumulation.

This study provides an integrated assessment of the health status of the striped venus clam Chamelea gallina along the western Adriatic coast by combining environmental data with physiological indices (survival in air and condition index), trace-element bioaccumulation, and biochemical biomarkers. Clams from northern, nutrient-rich areas showed longer survival in air during summer, coinciding with higher chlorophyll a and nitrate concentrations. In winter, northern sites showed a lower condition index, while several elements reached their highest concentrations at Goro, where clams also displayed a distinct antioxidant and detoxification biomarker profile. The integrated winter PCA indicated strong spatial co-variation among environmental conditions, elemental accumulation, and biochemical responses. Because these drivers covary along the Adriatic gradient, the observed patterns are best interpreted within a multiple-stressor framework rather than as responses to a single factor. These findings highlight the value of integrated monitoring for assessing the health and sustainability of this commercially important species under increasing environmental variability and anthropogenic pressure.