The main objectives of study were to monitor the metals concentrations, in freshwater fish species, Carassius gibelio and Esox lucius; and to identify any relationships between species and bioaccumulation of metals. The highest concentration of metals (cadmium, 1.96; copper, 24.2; zinc, 49.6; lead, 5.4; chromium, 4.4) between the fish species and tissues was in the liver of Esox lucius, while the lowest (cadmium,0.21; copper,7.2; zinc,19.4; lead,0.9; chromium,0.6 μg/g) found in the muscle of Carassius gibelio. Results showed that the metal concentrations were in fishes in descending order of zinc > copper > lead > chromium > cadmium, similarly in the tissue liver > kidney > gill ~ intestine > muscle.

The objective of the present study was to investigate the levels of heavy metals, namely, chromium, copper, cobalt, nickel, and iron, in Western Reef heron (Egretta gularis) (n = 15) and Siberian gull (Larus heuglini) (n = 15) to (1) compare metal concentrations between two bird species with different trophic level, molting pattern, and life strategy; (2) examine species- and sex-related variations in trace-metal accumulation; and (3) determine the significance between heavy-metal concentrations in kidney, liver, and pectoral muscle. Bird samples were collected from November to December 2010 throughout the Hara Biosphere Reserve, and heavy metals were assayed by using a Shimadzu AA 680 flame atomic absorption spectrophotometer; the results were given as μg/g dry weight. Metal concentrations were different between the bird species as well as among bird tissues, but there was no difference (except chromium and iron in kidney) between sex (male vs. female). Mean levels in kidney of Western Reef heron and Siberian gull were chromium (0.96, 2.32 μg/g), copper (6.31, 10.55 μg/g), cobalt (0.12, 0.14 μg/g), nickel (1.13, 1.32 μg/g), and iron (37.92, 39.64 μg/g), respectively, whereas in liver they were chromium (1.05, 2.75 μg/g), copper (8.93, 12.63 μg/g), cobalt (0.09, 0.17 μg/g), nickel (1.1, 2.27 μg/g), and iron (34.03, 44.21 μg/g), respectively. Results showed that heavy-metal concentrations in Western Reef heron were decreased in the sequence iron > copper > nickel > chromium > cobalt, whereas in Siberian gull they were decreased in the sequence iron > copper > chromium > nickel > cobalt. Results also showed that in both species, the highest chromium and nickel concentrations were measured in female birds and the lowest in male birds, whereas the highest copper, cobalt, and iron (except iron in liver) concentrations were measured in male birds and the lowest in female birds.

Since toxicity is based on the effect that a toxicant produces at a target site within an organism, establishing the relationship between the concentration of substance at the target site and the subsequent toxic effect can provide a tool for predicting toxicity. This article aims to investigate the patterns of bioaccumulation and elimination of nickel in the selected organs of black fish (Capoeta fusca) exposed to two treatments of nickel (4.5 and 12.7 mg/L) for a period of 30 days. Nickel was assayed using Shimadzu AA 680 atomic absorption spectrophotometer, and the results were given as μg/g wet weight. This finding showed that the accumulation patterns of nickel, for lower sub-lethal (LSL) and higher sub-lethal (HSL) concentrations of nickel, are in the following order: gill > liver > muscle > skin. The elimination patterns of nickel are in the following order: gill > skin > muscle > liver, for LSL concentration, and gill > skin > liver > muscle, for HSL concentration of nickel. The results show that the target organ for accumulation and elimination of nickel is gill.

The main objectives of article were monitor the metal concentrations of cadmium, lead, copper, zinc, cobalt, and iron, in the feather of shorebirds species, Western Reef Heron (Egretta gularis) and Siberian Gull (Larus heuglini) from Hara Biosphere Reserve of Southern Iran; and identify any relationships between species. Assaying heavy metals by using Shimadzu AA 680 flame atomic absorption spectrophotometer, the results were given as micrograms per gram dry weight. The concentrations of heavy metal were found to follow the order of iron>zinc>copper>lead>cadmium>cobalt for E. gularis and of iron>zinc>lead>copper>cadmium>cobalt for L. heuglini. Also, they showed that the cadmium, copper, and cobalt concentrations were higher in females than in the males, while the lead concentration for E. gularis and L. heuglini was higher in males. The cadmium concentration means they were measured as1.16 and 1.37 μg/g for E. gularis and L. heuglini, respectively, whereas the lead concentration means 7.04 and 5.48 μg/g for E. gularis and L. heuglini, respectively. The concentrations of nonessential trace elements in E. gularis and L. heuglini were generally comparable to values reported in other studies. The average levels of lead we observed in these birds were greater than 5 μg/g dry weight in the feather that is known to be associated with adverse behavioral or reproductive effects. Data analysis showed that there was a positive correlation between copper and zinc (P < 0.01), copper and cobalt (P < 0.05).

The objective of the present study was to investigate the levels of metals (Cd, Cu, Zn, Pb and Cr) in muscle, gill, liver, kidney and intestine of two freshwater fish, Ctenopharyngodon idella and Perca fluviatilis, in Anzali Wetland, Iran. The concentrations were different between the fish species as well as among the tissues of fish. Results showed that the metal concentrations in both fish species were in descending order of Zn > Cu > Pb > Cr > Cd. Results also showed that the Cd, Cu, Zn, and Pb concentrations in the muscle of both fish from Anzali Wetland are below levels of concern for human consumption.