Trace elements in tissues and organs of an Antarctic icefish, Champsocephalus gunnari

Abstract

A physiologically characteristic Antarctic icefish, Champsocephalus gunnari, was analysed by PIXE for the trace characterization of stable elements in the field of environmental ecology. The icefish was caught in the Antarctic area in January 1987. The fish muscle and gill were dissected and mixed with yttrium for thin target preparation. Spectrophotometrical analysis was applied to determine the content of porphyrin in the blood. 2.5 MeV protons were used for bombardment. For more accurate data acquisition, matrix matching was applied. Results were computed through a new program STAR1. No absorption maxima were observed at 506, 545 and 583 nm nor beyond 635 nm which were attributed to hemochromogen of myoglobin and haemoglobin. By PIXE analysis, the concentrations of 19 elements (S, Cl, K, Ca, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, Ga, As, Se, Br, Rb, Sr and Sn) were measured for muscle, while the concentrations of 18 elements (P, S, Cl, K, Ca, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn, Ga, Se, Br, Rb, Sr and Sb) were found for the gill of the fish. Typical accumulations were observed for Mn, Fe and Cu in muscle, whereas Zn was in the gill. Though porphyrin was absent, Fe content in the muscle of the icefish was 49.2 ppm. Also the icefish muscle accumulated a few hundred times more Mn than the other fish. The results suggest that the oxygen transporter is not the metal protein but other substances in the icefish. Mn may play an important role in specific oxygen respiration mechanisms in the Antarctic fish, Champsocephalus gunnari.