Concentrations of metals and trace elements in different tissues of nine fish species from the Medjuvrsje reservoir (West Morava River Basin, Serbia)

Vesna Djikanovic,Stefan Skoric,Zoran Gacic

doi:10.2298/abs151104069d

Abstract

Element concentrations in selected fish species from different trophic levels were analyzed. The following fish species were analyzed: common nase (Chondrostoma nasus), roach (Rutilus rutilus), freshwater bream (Abramis brama), barbel (Barbus barbus), Prussian carp (Carassius gibelio),chub (Squalius cephalus), European perch (Perca fluviatilis), wels catfish (Silurus glanis)and northern pike (Esox lucius). Fish were collected from the Medjuvrsje Reservoir (West Morava River Basin, western Serbia) during 2012, and samples of liver, muscle and gills were analyzed for As, B, Ba, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, Li, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Sr, and Zn using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). The liver and gills had the highest measured element concentrations, with Cu, Zn, Fe and Sr being the most prominent. The bioaccumulation of metals was species-specific, with the accumulation exhibiting the following trends: Prussian carp > northern pike > freshwater bream > European perch > chub > common nase > barbell > roach > wels catfish; Li>Pb>Zn>Cu>Fe>Ba>Mn>Sr>Cr>As>Mo>Ni>B, in all examined species; for Co, Cd and Hg, the bioaccumulation factor (BAF) was 0. Results of this study point to the tissue-specific differences in element concentrations, and to distinct differences between fish species regarding the accumulation patterns: common nase, with the highest accumulation observed in the liver, and Prussian carp, with the highest accumulation observed in the gills.

Highlights

Contamination of aquatic ecosystems with heavy metals and trace elements is a serious problem receiving world-wide attention [1,2]
Results of this study point to the tissue-specific differences in element concentrations, and to distinct differences between fish species regarding the accumulation patterns: common nase, with the highest accumulation observed in the liver, and Prussian carp, with the highest accumulation observed in the gills
The highest concentrations of Sr, Pb, Ba, Cr, Mn, Ni were observed in all species except northern pike, of Li in all species except wels catfish, of Hg in common nase, roach, Prussian carp, freshwater bream, barbel, northern pike and wels catfish, of Co in roach, Prussian carp and freshwater bream, of B in roach, Prussian carp, freshwater bream, barbel and chub, of Mo in freshwater bream, European perch, wels catfish and northern pike (Table 1)

Summary

Introduction

Contamination of aquatic ecosystems (e.g. lakes, rivers, streams) with heavy metals and trace elements is a serious problem receiving world-wide attention [1,2]. Metals from natural and anthropogenic sources are environmentally ubiquitous, released in and transported by water, and taken up by aquatic organisms. These elements enter aquatic ecosystems by atmospheric precipitation, soil and rock erosion, and through anthropogenic sources, such as industrial effluents, traffic, mining wastes and agriculture [3,4]. Metals are a serious threat because of their toxicity, persistence, capacity for bioaccumulation and biomagnification in the food chain [5]. Certain trace elements such as Fe, Cu, Zn, and Mn are essential in small amounts, but can be toxic and adversely affect aquatic life when present above certain concentrations. The toxic effects of metals range from complete loss of biota to effects on reproduction rate, growth and behavior of organisms [7]

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