Heavy Metals in Antarctic Notothenioid Fish from South Bay, Livingston Island, South Shetlands (Antarctica)

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±0.19mg/kg dry weight (wt); Pb and Zn in spleen, the mean values were 3.33±0.86 and 143.97±16.17mg/kg dry wt, respectively; Cu in gills, 3.76±1.16mg/kg dry wt; and Mn in scales, 14.80±4.77mg/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.