Partitioning of Fe, Cu, Zn, Cd, and Pb concentrations among eleven tissues of Octopus vulgaris from the Portuguese coast

J Raimundo,C Vale

doi:10.7773/cm.v34i3.1402

Abstract

Levels of Fe, Cu, Zn, Cd, and Pb were determined in digestive gland, posterior salivary glands, kidneys, gills, gonads, branchial hearts, ink sac, stomach, skin, mantle, and arm of 13 common octopuses, Octopus vulgaris, collected in November 2002 at Matosinhos (northwest coast of Portugal). No significant (P > 0.05) differences were found between metal concentrations and size/weight, sex, and maturity stage. Median levels found in digestive gland were one order of magnitude above those in all remaining analyzed parts (Cd and Pb), and in all tissues except branchial heart (Fe); posterior salivary glands, gills, mantle, and arm (Zn); and arm (Cu). Iron was significantly higher in digestive gland and branchial heart; Cu was lower in gonads, mantle, and arm; Zn was higher in digestive gland and lower in mantle and arm; Cd was higher in digestive gland, ink sac, and kidneys; and Pb was higher in digestive gland. Strong Pb-Fe, Cd-Fe, and Cu-Zn correlations (r > 0.700) were obtained in digestive gland, salivary glands, ink sac, and stomach. The different metal concentrations in the 11 tissues/organs of octopus are apparently a consequence of the role of metals in metabolic functions (e.g., gonads, ink sac, kidneys, gills, and salivary glands), although non-essential elements (Cd and Pb) in digestive gland, branchial hearts, kidneys, and ink sac may be linked to specific ligands or excretory/detoxification mechanisms.

Highlights

IntroducciónThe common octopus, Octopus vulgaris, is a sedentary cephalopod inhabiting coastal waters and susceptible to contamination (Mangold 1983)
This study reports the concentrations of Fe, Cu, Zn, Cd, and Pb in 11 tissues of the 13 specimens of O. vulgaris captured in November 2002 in the northwest coast of Portugal, which has been reported to have elevated levels of metals (e.g., Cd) in water and octopus (Caetano and Vale 2003, Raimundo et al 2004)
The lack of relationships between size/weight and sex with metal concentrations is in line with other studies reporting similar concentrations in small and large individuals of other octopus species, Graneledone sp. and Benthoctopus thielei (Bustamante et al 1998a), and of the same species (Seixas et al 2005); Octopus salutii showed a negative relationship between Cd concentrations and weight (Storelli and Marcotrigiano 1999)

Summary

Introduction

IntroducciónThe common octopus, Octopus vulgaris, is a sedentary cephalopod inhabiting coastal waters and susceptible to contamination (Mangold 1983). Metal accumulation in its tissues is influenced by local environmental conditions, such as metal levels in water and food chain, exposure period and temperature, as well as size, sex, and maturity stage (Rossi et al 1993, Canli and Atli 2003). Octopus vulgaris, es un cefalópodo sedentario que habita aguas costeras y por tanto es susceptible a la contaminación (Mangold 1983). La acumulación de metales en sus tejidos es influenciada por condiciones ambientales locales tales como los niveles de metal en el agua y la cadena alimenticia, la temperatura y periodo de exposición, así como la talla, el sexo y el estado de madurez (Rossi et al 1993, Canli y Atli 2003). Accumulation in other tissues has been related to the presence of molecules vital to their specific functions, including excretion and detoxifying mechanisms (Blaschko and Himms 1954, Ghiretti-Magaldi et al 1958, Schipp and Hevert 1978, Rainbow and Phillips 1993, Gerpe et al 2000, Villanueva and Bustamante 2006)

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Results

Conclusion