Trace and Toxic Elements Accumulation in Food Chain Representatives at Livingston Island (Antarctica)

Roumiana Metcheva,Volodimir Bezrukov,Krastio Dimitrov,Yordan Yankov,Michaela Beltcheva,Liliana Yurukova

doi:10.5539/ijb.v2n1p155

Abstract

First data for concentrations and distribution of trace and toxic elements in tissues and organs of brown skua(Catharacta lonnbergi), Gentoo penguin (Pygoscelis papua), crabeater seal (Lobodon carcinophagus), notothenioid fish(Notothenia coriiceps) and in krill (Euphausia superba), collected on Livingston Island (South Shetlands), Antarcticaare presented. Lead, cadmium, copper, zinc, manganese and cobalt were studied in liver, kidney, bone, spleen, muscle,heart and feathers. Generally, higher concentrations of toxic elements were found in liver and kidneys than in otherinvestigated tissues. The same elements in krill and notothenioid fish were also determined. The obtained data could serve as a starting point for broader investigation of the possible changes in the ecosystem of Antarctic Peninsula underclimate and environmental changes.

Highlights

For the study of toxic elements concentrations in predators’ fauna Antarctica is an area of special interest
Heavy metals may be high in Antarctic wildlife, which is the case for the increasing quantity of cadmium (Honda et al, 1986; Szefer et al, 1994)
Upwelling of natural cadmium rich deep water (Holm-Hansen, 1985) might be the source for elevated cadmium loads in krill (Euphausia superba) (Petri and Zauke, 1993). It is the main food source for most Antarctic marine predators and is present all year round in marine surface layers (Smith et al 1995). It composes a substantial part of the diet of notothenioid fish (Notothenia coriiceps) (Barrera-Oro, 2003), crabeater seals (Lobodon carcinophagus) (Siniff, 1991) and Gentoo penguins (Pygoscelis papua ellsworthi) (Volkmann et al, 1980)

Summary

Introduction

For the study of toxic elements concentrations in predators’ fauna Antarctica is an area of special interest. Upwelling of natural cadmium rich deep water (Holm-Hansen, 1985) might be the source for elevated cadmium loads in krill (Euphausia superba) (Petri and Zauke, 1993) It is the main food source for most Antarctic marine predators and is present all year round in marine surface layers (Smith et al 1995). Brown skua (Catharacta lonnbergi) feedings on penguin eggs, chicks, krill, fish and scavenge (Smith et al, 1995) represents as one of the top predators of an Antarctic food web All these species are excellent subjects for examination of heavy metals presence because they are long living, feed at different distances from land and exhibit different trophic levels (Smith et al, 1995; Trivelpiece and Trivelpiece, 1990; Walsh, 1990)

Objectives

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Results