Heavy metals in Antarctic notothenioid fish from South Bay, Livingston Island, South Shetlands (Antarctica)

Biol Trace Elem Res. 2011 Jun;141(1-3):150-8. doi: 10.1007/s12011-010-8739-5. Epub 2010 Jun 23.

Abstract

The Pb, Cd, Cu, Zn, and Mn contents of the liver, spleen, muscle, bones, scales, gills, and the whole body of 3- to 7-year-old notothenioid Antarctic cod (Notothenia coriiceps, Richardson, 1844) were measured. The highest heavy metal concentrations obtained are as follows: Cd in liver, the mean value was 1.36 ± 0.19 mg/kg dry weight (wt); Pb and Zn in spleen, the mean values were 3.33 ± 0.86 and 143.97 ± 16.17 mg/kg dry wt, respectively; Cu in gills, 3.76 ± 1.16 mg/kg dry wt; and Mn in scales, 14.80 ± 4.77 mg/kg dry wt. The comparison with the data reported up to now shows that the metal concentrations varied within relative wide ranges. These first data obtained could be used as a baseline to investigate further relationships among metal contents in fish, their diet, and habitat.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antarctic Regions
  • Ecosystem
  • Metals, Heavy / chemistry
  • Metals, Heavy / metabolism*
  • Oceans and Seas
  • Perciformes / metabolism*
  • Water Pollutants, Chemical / chemistry
  • Water Pollutants, Chemical / metabolism

Substances

  • Metals, Heavy
  • Water Pollutants, Chemical