Bioaccumulation of Metals in Fish of Salmonidae Family and the Impact on Fish Meat Quality

Abstract

The study was aimed at determining the levels of metals in water samples and muscles of the fish caught in the Una River basin, located in the northwestern part of Bosnia and Herzegovina. For that purpose, three fish species: Brown Trout (Salmo trutta m. fario), Grayling (Thymallus thymallus) and Californian Trout (Salmo gairdneri), together with stem water samples, were analyzed for metal concentrations (Pb, Hg, Cd, As, Mn, Ni, Cu, Cr, Se, Co, Sn, Zn, Fe, Ca, P) during a 2-year period. The fish was captured using electric fishing, nets or fishing equipment. The capture was undertaken on three sites (the river source, the middle flow and the river mouth) of each of the five biggest rivers belonging to the Una River basin (Unac, Krusnica, Sana, Klokot, and Una). The concentrations of metals in each sample were determined via atomic absorption spectrophotometry. In the tested waters, the presence of Mn in concentrations higher than permitted (0.07 mg/l) had been detected. In the tested meat, the following average concentrations of metals (mg/kg) had been found: Pb (0.67), Cd (0.06), Mn (0.65), Ni (0.15), Cu (0.79), Cr (1.05), Se (0.03), Zn (8.92), Fe (5.40), Ca (14.68), and P (10.85). The correlation between Mn concentrations identified in the tested waters and those identified in the meat of Brown Trout was revealed to be statistically significant, which confirms that, over time, bioaccumulation of metals took place. Even though the results were not indicative of contamination, they strongly suggest that constant monitoring of the ecosystems in reference should be implemented.

Concentrations of 17 elements in muscle, gills, liver and gonads of five economically important fish species from the Danube River

“…Regular analysis of the fish meat quality is considered as a very important measure. Through the food chain, fish are able to accumulate pollutants such as heavy metals at levels that could represent a potential risk, not only to the fish but also to piscivorous animals and the human population (Berveots and Blust, 2003;Burger and Gochfeld, 2005;Çalta and Canpolat, 2006;Alibabić et al, 2007;Yilmaz et al, 2007). Heavy metals and trace elements differ in their accumulation levels and patterns depending on fish species, as well as on a fish tissue (Rashed, 2001;Višnjić-Jeftić et al, 2010;Jarić et al, 2011).…”

Heavy metals and arsenic concentrations in ten fish species from the Šalek lakes (Slovenia): assessment of potential human health risk due to fish consumption

“…In addition, fish are a useful bioindicator for the determination of metal pollution in aquatic ecosystems (Chovanec et al 2003;Alibabič et al 2007;Lamas et al 2007;Dorea 2008;Ahmad and Shuhaimi-Othman 2010). The specific advantages of fish as bioindicators are: (1) they are long living and integrate fluctuations of pollutants over time, (2) they live in water, making a continuous monitoring of the presence of pollutants possible while also allowing a spatial integration of pollutant data; (3) they are easily sampled.…”

Seasonal Investigation of Selected Mineral Contents in Meat, Gills, and Liver of Perch (Perca fluviatilis L.) from Western Poland

“…Most probably, the dynamics of trace element accumulation is determined by the growth rate of fish, which is the highest during summer, and by changes in the feeding rate and dynamics of lipid metabolism in the tissues [14]. Additionally, the differences noted in the metal concentrations in the different tissues between seasons could result from local pollution [32,38].…”