Cadmium and zinc in muscle of bluegill ( Lepomis macrochirus) and largemouth bass ( Micropterus salmoides) from an industrially contaminated lake

Abstract

Cadmium and zinc analyses of 44 largemouth bass ( Micropterus salmoides) and 29 bluegill ( Lepomis macrochirus) indicate that fish in an ecosystem heavily contaminated by trace metals accumulate significantly more metal in edible muscle tissue than do fish in an uncontaminated ecosystem. Concentrations detected ranged from 0·010 to 1·308 ppm Cd and 18·2 to 158·2 ppm Zn (dry weight). Bluegill contained significantly greater concentrations of Cd and Zn than did bass and small bass contained significantly more Cd than did large bass. Human consumption of these fish is probably not a health hazard unless such fish constitute a major portion of the diet.