Bioaccumulation of 10 trace elements in juvenile fishes of the Lower Paraná River, Argentina: implications associated with essential fish growing habitat

SABINA LLAMAZARES VEGH; FERNANDA G. BIOLÉ; MARTA BAVIO; PAMELA TRIPODI; ADOLFO GIL; ALEJANDRA VOLPEDO

ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH

SPRINGER HEIDELBERG

Lugar: HEIDELBERG; Año: 2020

0944-1344

This study assessed the concentrations, bioconcentration and bioaccumulation of As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Mg, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn in juvenile fishes of Acestrorynchus pantaneiro, Brycon orbygnianus, Cyphocharax voga, Megaleporinus obtusidens, Odontesthes bonariensis, Pimelodus maculatus, Prochilodus lineatus, Salminus brasiliensis and Schizodon borelli in the Lower Paraná River, the most extensive floodplain in Plata Basin. This environment is crucial to fishes for reproduction and growth purposes. In particular, the most commercially important fishes of the basin as P. lineatus, M. obtusidens and S. brasiliensis complete their life cycle in this environment. In total, 90 fish individuals were sampled for nitrogen stable isotope and trace elements analysis in muscle tissue, water and sediment were analyzed. The results show that all the studied species bioaccumulate Cr, Mg, Ni and Zn. In particular, B. orbygnianus and P. maculatus presented the highest bioaccumulation factor for Cr. A biodilution of Co through the food chain was observed. No positive correlation was found between elements concentration and trophic level, but we observed significant differences between trophic guilds (herbivorous, omnivorous and carnivorous). Our findings suggest that feeding habits determine trace element concentrations. Unfortunately, no previous studies were conducted in wild conditions for juvenile fish species in the Plata Basin to compare our findings. To establish differential behavior between different species within the aquatic web is necessary further studies, particularly in the floodplain of the Paraná, which is a crucial nursery area for most commercially important fishes in Plata Basin.