High Levels Of As Research Articles

Evaluate of heavy metal concentration in shrimp (Penaeus semisulcatus) and crab (Portunus pelagicus) with INAA method

The level of the heavy metal in green tiger shrimp (Penaeus semisulcatus) and crab (Portunus pelagicus) caught off the Persian Gulf near Bushehr province were investigated. This study was performed to evaluate instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) to analyze heavy metal concentration in crab and shrimp whole body tissue. The order of the swimmer crab and shrimp heavy metal concentrations were Zn>Fe>As>Mn>Co and Fe>Zn>Mn>As>Co, respectively. The results showed swimmer crab (Portunus pelagicus) and shrimp (Penaeus semisulcatus) caught off Persian gulf, were contaminated with high level of As (21.38±3.31ppm and 8.28±2.82 ppm, respectively). High levels of As and Mn were noted in crabs and shrimp, respectively.

Arsenic and iron speciation in uranium mine tailings using X-ray absorption spectroscopy

Abstract In northern Saskatchewan, Canada, high-grade U ores and the resulting tailings can contain high levels of As. An environmental concern in the U mining industry is the long-term stability of As within tailings management facilities (TMFs) and its potential transfer to the surrounding groundwater. To mitigate this problem, U mill effluents are neutralized with lime to reduce the aqueous concentration of As. This results in the formation of predominantly Fe 3+ –As 5+ secondary mineral phases, which act as solubility controls on the As in the tailings discharged to the TMF. Because the speciation of As in natural systems is critical for determining its long-term environmental fate, characterization of As-bearing mineral phases and complexes within the deposited tailings is required to evaluate its potential transformation, solubility, and long-term stability within the tailings mass. In this study, synchrotron-based bulk X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) was used to study the speciation of As and Fe in mine tailings samples obtained from the Deilmann TMF at Key Lake, Saskatchewan. Comparisons of K-edge X-ray absorption spectra of tailings samples and reference compounds indicate the dominant oxidation states of As and Fe in the mine tailings samples are +5 and +3, respectively, largely reflecting their generation in a highly oxic mill process, deposition in an oxidized environment, and complexation within stable oxic phases. Linear combination fit analyses of the K-edges for the Fe X-ray absorption near edge spectra (XANES) to reference compounds suggest Fe is predominantly present as ferrihydrite with some amount of the primary minerals pyrite (8–15% in some samples) and chalcopyrite (5–15% in some samples). Extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) analysis of As K-edge spectra indicates that As 5+ (arsenate) present in tailings samples is adsorbed to the ferrihydrite though an inner-sphere bidentate linkage.

Examination of the distribution of arsenic in hydrated and fresh cowpea roots using two- and three-dimensional techniques.

Arsenic (As) is considered to be the environmental contaminant of greatest concern due to its potential accumulation in the food chain and in humans. Using novel synchrotron-based x-ray fluorescence techniques (including sequential computed tomography), short-term solution culture studies were used to examine the spatial distribution of As in hydrated and fresh roots of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata 'Red Caloona') seedlings exposed to 4 or 20 µm arsenate [As(V)] or 4 or 20 µm arsenite. For plants exposed to As(V), the highest concentrations were observed internally at the root apex (meristem), with As also accumulating in the root border cells and at the endodermis. When exposed to arsenite, the endodermis was again a site of accumulation, although no As was observed in border cells. For As(V), subsequent transfer of seedlings to an As-free solution resulted in a decrease in tissue As concentrations, but growth did not improve. These data suggest that, under our experimental conditions, the accumulation of As causes permanent damage to the meristem. In addition, we suggest that root border cells possibly contribute to the plant's ability to tolerate excess As(V) by accumulating high levels of As and limiting its movement into the root.

Strategic selection of an optimal sorbent mixture for in-situ remediation of heavy metal contaminated sediments: Framework and case study

Aquatic sediments contaminated with heavy metals originating from mining and metallurgical activities pose significant risk to the environment and human health. These sediments not only act as a sink for heavy metals, but can also constitute a secondary source of heavy metal contamination. A variety of sorbent materials has demonstrated the potential to immobilize heavy metals. However, the complexity of multi-element contamination makes choosing the appropriate sorbent mixture and application dosage highly challenging. In this paper, a strategic framework is designed to systematically address the development of an in-situ sediment remediation solution through Assessment, Feasibility and Performance studies. The decision making tools and the experimental procedures needed to identify optimum sorbent mixtures are detailed. Particular emphasis is given to the utilization and combination of commercially available and waste-derived sorbents to enhance the sustainability of the solution. A specific case study for a contaminated sediment site in Northern Belgium with high levels of As, Cd, Pb and Zn originating from historical non-ferrous smelting is presented. The proposed framework is utilized to achieve the required remediation targets and to meet the imposed regulations on material application in natural environments.

Trace elements in scalp hair of children living in differing environmental contexts in Sicily (Italy)

We present here data about trace elements in human scalp hair samples to test whether they are valuable to reflect environmental exposure and contamination by trace elements. The study compares contents of trace elements in scalp hair from a total of 336 children, aged 11–13 years old, living in various geographical areas of Sicily (southern Italy) characterized by differing environmental conditions. Nineteen elements (Al, As, Ba, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Li, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Rb, Sb, Se, Sr, U, V and Zn) were determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Coverage intervals (CI) formulated by the elemental composition of hair samples from the Palermo subjects were compared with the median content of hair from children living in the other study areas. Statistical analysis showed that Al, Ba, Sr and Zn concentrations differed significantly between gender, higher concentrations being observed in girls’ hair. Children living close to the volcanic area had higher concentrations of As, Cr, Mn, Ni, Rb, Sb, U, V and Zn. Those living in an area with several old quarries had higher levels of Al, As, Pb, Rb and U. The hair of children living near the Pace del Mela industrial area contained higher levels of As, Ba, Mn, Pb, Rb, Sr and U. Linear discriminant analysis (LDA) between Palermo and the other sites allowed to better assess which variables contribute towards differentiating the groups. Our observations suggest that human hair can be used to monitor exposure to several metals, provided that sampling and analytical procedures, together with statistical treatment of data, are carried out according to standardized protocols.

Particle-Induced X-ray Emission Analysis of Elements in Plasma from Wild and Captive Sea Turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata, Chelonia mydas, and Caretta caretta) in Okinawa, Japan

The aim of this study was to evaluate the reliability of direct determination of trace and major element concentrations in plasma samples from wild (six hawksbill, nine green, and nine loggerhead) and captive sea turtles (25 howksbill, five green, and three loggerhead) in Okinawa, Japan. The particle induced X-ray emission method allowed detection of 23 trace and major elements (Al, As, Br, Ca, Cl, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, K, Mg, Mn, Mo, Ni, P, Pb, S, Se, Si, Sr, Ti, Y, and Zn). The wild sea turtles were found to have high concentrations of As and Pb in plasma compared with captive, but there were no significant changes in the Al and Hg concentrations. Loggerhead sea turtles were found to have significantly higher accumulation of As and Pb in plasma in comparison to other species. These findings may be useful when adjusting environmental and species-related factors in severely polluted marine ecosystems. Our results indicate that measuring the plasma As and Pb concentrations in wild sea turtles might be of help to assess the level of pollution in marine ecosystems, keeping in mind that loggerhead sea turtles had been shown to have higher levels of As and Pb in plasma.

Nature and Role of Change in Anxiety Sensitivity During NRT-Aided Cognitive-Behavioral Smoking Cessation Treatment

This study evaluated the associations between change in anxiety sensitivity (AS; fear of the negative consequences of anxiety and related sensations) and lapse and relapse during a 4-week group NRT-aided cognitive-behavioral Tobacco Intervention Program. Participants were 67 (44 women; M age = 46.2 years, SD = 10.4) adult daily smokers. Results indicated that participants who maintained high levels of AS from pretreatment to 1 month posttreatment, compared to those who demonstrated a significant reduction in AS levels during this time period, showed a significantly increased risk for lapse and relapse. Further inspection indicated that higher continuous levels of AS physical and psychological concerns, specifically among those participants who maintained elevated levels of AS from pre- to posttreatment, predicted significantly greater risk for relapse. Findings are discussed with respect to better understanding change in AS, grounded in an emergent taxonic-dimensional factor mixture model of the construct, with respect to lapse and relapse during smoking cessation.

Abiotic schwertmannite transformation kinetics and the role of sorbed As(III)

Abstract Schwertmannite (SHM) precipitated from acid mine drainage often contains high levels of As(III). The present study is aimed at understanding the fate of As(III) preadsorbed to bio-synthesized schwertmannite (0.92 wt% As(III)) during transformation, compared with SHM devoid of As(III). Ageing experiments were conducted at room temperature in controlled reactors for 120 days at pH 5, 6, 7 and 8. Transformation was indicated by a steady SO 4 2 - release of ⩾90% of solid phase SO 4 2 - at pH 8 after 75 days from both specimens. The SO 4 2 - release correlated with OH− consumption, indicating OH - – SO 4 2 - exchange and was facilitated as pH increased from 5 to 8. No significant structural change could be indicated after 75 days using XRD, IR spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy, suggesting the formation of an initial transformation product of low crystallinity. Incomplete ripening of the transformation product was determined after 120 days with traces of ferrihydrite and goethite in As(III)-free specimens, which was more prominent at higher pH. Significant release of sorbed As (1.9 wt% at pH 5) could be detected during the initial phase of the transformation of As-containing SHM which was rapidly readsorbed probably to the new phase. No detectable ripening occurred after 120 days at lower pH values in the case of As(III)-sorbed specimens indicating an inhibitory effect of As on the nucleation of new phases.

Assessing Soil Quality in Areas Affected by Sulfide Mining. Application to Soils in the Iberian Pyrite Belt (SW Spain)

The characterization, evaluation and remediation of polluted soils is one of the present environmental challenges to be addressed in the coming years. The origin of trace elements in soils can be either geogenic or anthropogenic, but only the latter is interesting from a legal point of view. The hazard of the pollutants in the soils not only depends on their total concentration, but particularly on their availability. The mobility of the trace elements depends on their speciation, and it is also affected by several soil parameters. Mining activity is one of the most important anthropogenic causes of soil pollution. As a case study, this work is focused in the Riotinto mining area (Iberian Pyrite Belt, IPB, SW Spain). The IPB is one of the most important metallogenic provinces in the world and it has been exploited for thousands of years. The disposal of mining residues has produced important sources of contamination by trace elements and acidic waters affecting soils and rivers. In addition to these problems, the closure of mines in the Pyrite Belt at the end of the 20th Century has led to a great loss of employment, which has caused the development of an intensive agriculture of citrus fruits as a new source of income. The intensive growing of citrus fruits and the traditional subsistence agriculture have been developed surrounding the mining areas and on floodplains near to mining sites. The level of soil pollution has not been taken into account in these cases, nor has its impact on the health of the inhabitants of these areas. Therefore, it is of great interest to study the current state of the cultivated soils and the sources and types of contaminants derived from mining activity in order to program its decontamination, where appropriate, according to legislation. In order to know the present and future hazard posed by the soils chemical and mineralogical speciation has been carried out, given that the availability of a metal depends on the phase in which it is found. The results showed that mining activity has caused high levels of As, Cu, Pb and Zn in several cultivated soils. Moreover, Cu, Pb and Zn showed a high bioavailability. This suggests that at least other studies are necessary to preserve health in the inhabitants of this area. The methodology carried out in this work allowed to select potentially polluted areas where agricultural activities are not recommended.

Risk Element (As, Cd, Cu, Pb, and Zn) Contamination of Soils and Edible Vegetables in the Vicinity of Guixi Smelter, South China

Risk element (As, Cd, Cu, Pb, and Zn) contamination in soils and in two edible vegetables (Solanum melongena L. and Capsicum annum L.) was investigated in the vicinity of Guixi Smelter, South China. Soil As concentrations averaged 23.9 mg/kg. Sites near the smelter tailings recorded the highest levels of As and heavy metals in soils. The concentration order of heavy metals in soils was Cd < Pb < Zn < Cu. Cu and Cd in soils were abundant in the exchangeable and bound to carbonate fraction, while Pb and Zn were in the residual fraction, limiting their potential toxicity as pollutants. The proportions of the metals in the mobile fraction followed the order Pb < Zn < Cu < Cd. In Solanum melongena L. and Capsicum annum L., Zn concentration was the highest, followed by Cu, Cd, and Pb, different from that in soils and in the mobile fraction. Concentrations of heavy metals in the labile fractions in soils and in vegetables presented significant correlation (p < 0.05). Both of the two vegetables are not the Cu and Zn accumulators. As for Cd and As, Capsicum annum L. poses a higher risk to animal and human health than Solanum melongena L., with soil-plant transfer coefficients more than three. Root-stem is the main barrier for most of the heavy metals and As in the two vegetables, resulting in higher metal concentrations in roots relative to other plant tissues. The low stem-fruit transfer coefficients for Zn in Solanum melongena L. and for Pb in Capsicum annum L. suggested that very few of them could reach the fruits.

Hazardous concentrations of selenium in soil and groundwater in North-West India

Soil and groundwater samples were collected for bulk elemental analyses in particular for selenium (Se) concentrations from six agricultural sites located in states of Punjab and Haryana in North-West India. Toxic concentrations of Se (45–341 μg L −1) were present in groundwater (76 m deep) of Jainpur and Barwa villages in Punjab. Selenium enrichments were also found in top soil layers (0–15 cm) of Jainpur (2.3–11.6 mg kg −1) and Barwa (3.1 mg kg −1). Mineralogical analyses confirmed silicates and phyllosilicates as main components of these soils, also reflected by the high content of SiO 2 (40–62 wt.%), Al 2O 3 (9–21 wt.%) and K 2O (2.2–3.2 wt.%). Prevailing intensive irrigation practices in Punjab with Se enriched groundwater may be the cause of Se accumulation in soils. Sequential extraction revealed >50% Se bioavailability in Jainpur soils. Appearance of selenite was observed in some of the batch assays with soil slurries under reducing conditions. Although safe Se concentrations were found in Hisar, Haryana, yet high levels of As, Mo and U present in groundwater indicated its unsuitability for drinking purposes. Detailed biogeochemical studies of Se in sediments or groundwater of Punjab are not available so far; intensive investigations should be started for better understanding of the problem of Se toxicity.

Screening risk assessment tools for assessing the environmental impact in an abandoned pyritic mine in Spain

This paper describes a new methodology for assessing site-specific environmental impact of contaminants. The proposed method integrates traditional risk assessment approaches with real and variable environmental characteristics at a local scale. Environmental impact on selected receptors was classified for each environmental compartment into 5 categories derived from the whole (chronic and acute) risk assessment using 8 risk levels. Risk levels were established according to three hazard quotients (HQs) which represented the ratio of exposure to acute and chronic toxicity values. This tool allowed integrating in only one impact category all the elements involved in the standard risk assessment. The methodology was applied to an abandoned metal mine in Spain, where high levels of As, Cd, Zn and Cu were detected. Risk affecting potential receptors such as aquatic and soil organisms and terrestrial vertebrates were assessed. Whole results showed that impact to the ecosystem is likely high and further investigation or remedial actions are necessary. Some proposals to refine the risk assessment for a more realistic diagnostic are included.

Natural attenuation of arsenic in the wetland system around abandoned mining area

Mechanisms of natural attenuation of arsenic (As) by wetland plants may be classified by plant uptake and adsorption and/or co-precipitation by iron (oxy)hydroxide formed on the root surface of plants or in rhizosediment. A natural Cattail (Typha spp.) wetland impacted by tailings containing high levels of As from the Myungbong abandoned Au Mine, South Korea was selected, and the practical capability of this wetland to attenuate As was evaluated. The As concentrations in the plant tissues from the study wetland were several-fold higher than those from control wetland. SEM-EDX analyses demonstrated that iron plaques exist on the rhizome surface. Moreover, relatively high As contents bonded with hydrous iron oxides were found in the rhizosediments rather than in the bulk sediments. It was revealed through the leaching and sequential extraction analyses that As existed as more stable forms in the wetland sediment compared with adjacent paddy soil, which is also contaminated with As due to input of mine tailings. The As concentration ratios of extracted solution to sediment/soil represented that the wetland sediment showed significant lower values (10-fold) rather than the paddy soil with indicating high As stability. Also, As in the wetland sediment was predominantly bonded with residual phases on the basis of results from sequential extraction analysis. From these results, it is concluded that transformation of As contaminated agricultural field to wetland environment may be helpful for natural attenuation until active remediation action.

Geochemistry and arsenic behaviour in groundwater resources of the Pannonian Basin (Hungary and Romania)

Abstract Groundwater resources in the Pannonian Basin (Hungary, Romania, Croatia and Serbia) are known to contain elevated naturally occurring As. Published estimates suggest nearly 500,000 people are exposed to levels greater than the EU maximum admissible concentration of 10 μg/L in their drinking water, making it the largest area so affected in Europe. In this study, a variety of groundwaters were collected from Romania and Hungary to elucidate the general geochemistry and identify processes controlling As behaviour. Concentrations ranged from SO 4 2 - -reduction containing low As levels ( SO 4 2 - . Ongoing SO 4 2 - -reduction will release S2−, removing As from solution either by the formation of As-sulfides, or from sorption onto Fe-sulfide phases. In methanogenic waters, As released by reductive dissolution is not removed from solution and can rise to the high levels observed. Levels of organic C are thought to be the ultimate control on the redox conditions in these 2 groups. High levels of organic C (as found in group 1) would quickly exhaust any SO 4 2 - present in the waters, driving the system to methanogenesis and subsequent high levels of As. Group 2 has much lower concentrations of organic C and so SO 4 2 - is not exhausted. Therefore, As levels in waters of the Pannonian Basin are controlled not by release but by retention mechanisms, ultimately controlled by levels of TOC and SO 4 2 - in the waters. δD and δ18O analysis showed that groundwaters containing elevated As dated mostly from the last ice-age, and are sourced from Late Pliocene to Quaternary aquifers. The importance of TOC and retention capabilities of SO 4 2 - -reduction have only previously been suggested for recent (Holocene) sediments and groundwater, most notably those in SE Asia as these are the most likely to contain the right combination of factors to drive the system to a redox situation leading to high aqueous As concentrations. In contrast, it is shown here that a much older system containing As bearing Fe-oxides, also has the potential to produce elevated levels of As if the TOC is suitable for the microbial population to drive the system to the correct redox situation and SO 4 2 - is either absent or wholly consumed.

Status of Toxic Metals in Biological Samples of Diabetic Mothers and Their Neonates

The mechanism of transport of trace elements from the mother to the newborn is still not well known. The aim of present study was to compare the status of trace toxic elements, arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), and lead (Pb) in biological samples (whole blood, urine and scalp hair) of insulin-dependent diabetic mothers (age ranged 30-40) and their newly born infants (n = 76). An age and socioeconomics matched 68 nondiabetic mothers and their infants, residing in the same locality, who were selected as referents. The elemental concentrations in all three biological samples were determined by an electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometer, prior to microwave-assisted acid digestion. The mean values of As, Cd, and Pb in all biological samples of diabetic mothers and their infants were significantly higher as compared to the referent mother-infant pair samples (p < 0.01). The high levels of As, Cd, and Pb in biological samples of diabetic women may play a role in the pathogenesis of diabetes mellitus and impacts on their neonates.

A comparative study on arsenic and humic substances in alluvial aquifers of Bengal delta plain (NW Bangladesh), Chianan plain (SW Taiwan) and Lanyang plain (NE Taiwan): implication of arsenic mobilization mechanisms

Humic substances in groundwater and aquifer sediments from the arsenicosis and Blackfoot disease (BFD) affected areas in Bangladesh (Bengal delta plain) and Taiwan (Lanyang plain and Chianan plain) were characterized using fluorescence spectrophotometry and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. The results demonstrate that the mean concentration of As and relative intensity of fluorescent humic substances are higher in the Chianan plain groundwater than those in the Lanyang plain and Bengal delta plain groundwater. The mean As concentrations in Bengal delta plain, Chianan plain, and Lanyang plain are 50.65 μg/l (2.8-170.8 μg/l, n=20), 393 μg/l (9-704 μg/l, n=5), and 104.5 μg/l (2.51-543 μg/l, n = 6), respectively. Average concentrations and relative fluorescent intensity of humic substances in groundwater are 25.381 QSU (quinine standard unit) and 17.78 in the Bengal delta plain, 184.032 QSU and 128.41 in the Chianan plain, and 77.56 QSU and 53.43 in the Lanyang plain. Moreover, FT-IR analysis shows that the humic substances extracted from the Chianan plain groundwater contain phenolic, alkanes, aromatic ring and amine groups, which tend to form metal carbon bonds with As and other trace elements. By contrast, the spectra show that humic substances are largely absent from sediments and groundwater in the Bengal delta plain and Lanyang plain. The data suggest that the reductive dissolution of As-adsorbed Mn oxyhydroxides is the most probable mechanism for mobilization of As in the Bengal delta plain. However, in the Chianan plain and Lanyang plain, microbially mediated reductive dissolution of As-adsorbed amorphous/crystalline Fe oxyhydroxides in organic-rich sediments is the primary mechanism for releasing As to groundwater. High levels of As and humic substances possibly play a critical role in causing the unique BFD in the Chianan plain of SW Taiwan.

Blood selenium, glutathione peroxidase activity and antioxidant supplementation of subjects exposed to arsenic via drinking water

This work investigated serum selenium (Se) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) levels in 25 Croatian subjects exposed to high levels of As from drinking water (median As level in urine: 620.74 μg/g creatinine) and 25 controls (32.98 μg/g creatinine). The exposed group had lower ( p < 0.001) median serum Se and GPx levels (Se: 82.34 μg/l vs 59.02 μg/l; GPx: 45.99 U/g hemoglobin vs 38.38 U/g hemoglobin). A subsample of 20 exposed subjects took part in a 2-month antioxidant supplementation trial which increased median GPx activity from 30.71 to 40.98 U/g hemoglobin ( p = 0.041) and reduced total urinary As median from 680.15 to 501.96 μg/g creatinine ( p = 0.051). The effect of selected catalase (−262C>T) and GPx1 (−593C>T) gene polymorphisms was also examined. The low Se status and GPx activity may heighten risk of adverse health effects, especially in genetically predisposed individuals. The outcome of antioxidant treatment indicates modulation of As metabolism and oxidative stress, relevance of which needs further research.

DNA damage in earthworms from highly contaminated soils: Assessing resistance to arsenic toxicity by use of the Comet assay

Earthworms native to the former mine site of Devon Great Consols (DGC), UK reside in soils highly contaminated with arsenic (As). These earthworms are considered to have developed a resistance to As toxicity. The mechanisms underlying this resistance however, remain unclear. In the present study, non-resistant, commercially sourced Lumbricus terrestris were exposed to a typical DGC soil in laboratory mesocosms. The earthworms bio-accumulated As from the soil and incurred DNA-damage levels significantly above those observed in the control mesocosm (assessed using the Comet assay). A dose response was observed between DNA damage (% tail DNA) and As concentration in soil (control, 98, 183, 236, 324 and 436 mg kg −1). As-resistant earthworms ( Lumbricus rubellus, Dendrodrilus rubidus and L. terrestris) collected from contaminated soils at DGC (203 to 9025 mg kg −1 As) had also bio-accumulated high levels of As from their host soils, yet demonstrated low levels of DNA damage compared with earthworms from uncontaminated sites. The results demonstrate that the As-contaminated soils at DGC are genotoxic to non-native earthworms and much less so to earthworms native to DGC, thus providing further evidence of an acquired resistance to As toxicity in the native earthworms.

Procambarus clarkii as a bioindicator of heavy metal pollution sources in the lower Ebro River and Delta

In the Ebro River basin, point and diffuse pollution of heavy metals stems mainly from industry and agriculture. Bioaccumulation patterns were examined under different pollution sources (point and diffuse) using levels of heavy metals (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Pb and Zn) in abdominal muscle tissue of Procambarus clarkii. P. clarkii captured under point source effects presented the highest concentrations of Hg, Pb and As; and were related with distance to the source of industrial waste sediments. Mean Hg levels in crayfish exposed to point sources of metals significantly exceeded legal allowed values established by the European Union legislation. In the Ebro Delta, high levels of As, Cr, Cu and Zn were associated with traditional agriculture activity (diffuse pollution) as well. These results demonstrate the potential of P. clarkii to bioaccumulate heavy metals from both point and diffuse sources and hence potentially transfer these metals to higher trophic levels.

안동.임하호에 서식하는 붕어(Carassius auratus) 조직 내 중금속 함량

안동호와 임하호의 수환경내 중금속의 오염정도와 서식 어종간의 중금속 축적 정도를 알아보기 위해 양호수의 수질, 저니 및 서식어종인 붕어를 이용하여 중금속 함량을 비교 분석하였다. 안동호와 임하호 수질과 저니내 중금속 함량은 안동호에서 높은 함량을 보이며, As는 함량의 차이가 큰 것으로 나타났다. 안동호와 임하호에 서식하는 붕어의 중금속 함량의 경우 안동호에 서식하는 붕어에서 높은 함량을 보이며, Cr, Cu, Cd 및 As는 함량의 차이가 큰 것으로 나타났다. 또한 비늘, 근육, 뼈 조직은 안동호와 임하호의 함량차이가 크며, 안동호에서 높은 함량을 나타냈다. 본 연구의 결과 안동호와 임하호의 수질과 저니 및 서식어종인 붕어의 중금속 함량은 안동호에서 임하호보다 중금속 함량이 높게 나타났으며, 안동호와 임하호의 함량차이도 큰 것으로 나타났다. 이는 안동호의 경우 안동호 상류 지점의 폐광산과 농경지로부터 하상퇴적물이 유입되어 하상퇴적물 속에 포함된 유기물을 붕어가 먹이로 섭취함으로써 중금속 함량에 영향을 미친 것으로 생각된다. Heavy metal contamination levels in Andong reservoir and Imha reservoir were measured with heavy metal contents in both water and sediment, and analyzed with heavy metal accumulation level in inhabitant fish, Carassius auratus, using an inductively coupled plasma spectrometer and an atomic absorption spectrometer. High levels of heavy metal contents in water, sediment and the tissues of C. auratus were detected. Likewise, relatively high levels of As were detected in water and sediment from Andong reservoir. In addition, higher levels of Cr, Cu, Cd and As content were detected in muscle and bone tissues of fish from Andong reservoir than those from Imha reservoir. As a result, the heavy metal content of water, sediment and inhabitant fish, C. auratus, in Andong reservoir was higher than Imha reservoir. We proposed that heavy metal contamination in water and inhabitant fish is attributed to various metals derived from abandoned mines and farmlands that are upstream of Andong reservoir.