Distribution and Accumulation of Trace Elements in Organs of Juvenile Fishes from a Freshwater System (Paraná River, South America)

LLAMAZARES VEGH, SABINA; BIOLÉ, FERNANDA; BAVIO, MARTA; TRIPODI, PAMELA; VOLPEDO, ALEJANDRA V.

BIOLOGICAL TRACE ELEMENT RESEARCH

HUMANA PRESS INC

Lugar: Oregon; Año: 2021

0163-4984

The concentrations of As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn (TEs) in four juvenile fishes (Acestrorhynchus pantaneiro, Salminus brasiliensis, Brycon orbignyanus and Megaleporinus obtusidens) and associated sediment-water from the Lower Paraná river was measured. The TEs accumulation in the muscle, gills, and liver of fishes was evaluated. The TEs concentration was measured by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (Q-ICP-MS). Cd (0.25±0.07 ug/L), Cu (3.00±1.44 ug/L), Fe (612±69 ug/L) and Pb (1.92±1.20 ug/L) in water and As (4.1-6.9 ug/g), Cr (20.1-31.4 ug/g), Cu (10.7-19.2 ug/g), Mn (351.3-482.2 ug/g) and Ni (24.5±10.9 ug/g) in sediments exceeded the limits considered hazardous for aquatic life. In general, muscle of omnivorous species (B. orbignyanus and M. obtusidens) showed higher values of elements than those of carnivorous species (A. pantaneiro and S. brasiliensis). However, element concentrations were significantly affected by the fish species and tissues sampled. Independently of the examined species, the highest concentrations of Cr and Pb were in the muscle and gills, respectively. And, the concentrations of Cd, Cu and Fe were higher in the liver than in gills and muscle in all four fish species. These results were consistent with the tissue selectivity index analyzed. For the four species, major essential elements showed the highest accumulation. However, the accumulation of toxic elements in omnivorous species was higher than in carnivorous species. The individual pollution load index indicated that sediment is very polluted with As y Pb, but based on the combined ecological indexes, values have revealed low elemental pollution of sediment in the Espinillo Lake.