First Report on the Elemental Composition of the Bigeye Thresher Shark Alopias superciliosus Lowe, 1841 from the Mediterranean Sea

Abstract

Cartilaginous fish species have ecological importance. Besides, the ecotoxicological studies on these species are pretty insufficient. In this study, Al, Cr, Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn, As, Pb, Cd, and Sr levels were determined in muscle, liver, gill, kidney, spleen, stomach, and gonad tissues of Alopias superciliosus (Female, 240 cm TL) caught from Mersin Bay. Tissue metal analysis was determined by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). A statistical difference was found among the tissues in terms of the metals. Fe was determined to be the highest level in all tissues (pGill>Spleen>Gonad>Kidney>Stomach>Muscle. Zn was detected at higher levels in the liver and stomach and As in other tissues after Fe. Al has the highest level after Zn and As and was mainly found in the gills. The tissue Cu and Zn levels were found in the same order from highest to lowest as Liver>Gonad>Kidney>Spleen≥ Stomach>Gill>Muscle. Sr was higher in the stomach, gonad, and kidney than in the other tissues. Cd levels were found in higher than Pb levels in the examined tissues. Liver Cd level was determined as 57.37 µg g-1 dw. Except for the liver, Mn levels were found low than Cr levels in the examined tissues. The distinction between the tissue levels of the investigated elements has changed depending on the functional differences between the tissues and metal metabolisms.