Metal Bioaccumulation by Carp and Catfish Cultured in Lake Chapala, and Weekly Intake Assessment

Abstract

Aquaculture offers great potential for fish production in Lake Chapala, but reports of heavy metal contamination in fish have identified a main concern for this activity. In the present study, cultures of the species Cyprinus carpio and Ictalurus punctatus were grown in a net cage in Lake Chapala. The patterns of heavy metal accumulation (Cu, Zn, Cd, Hg, Pb, As) in muscle and liver were monitored in order to evaluate the level of metal incorporation in the fish. Estimates of weekly metal intake (EWI) were made based on the results of the concentrations in edible parts of fish of commercial size. The patterns of metal bioaccumulation between tissues and species showed that liver had a higher concentrating capacity for Zn, Cu, Cd, and Pb. In contrast, similar concentrations of Hg and As were found in the liver and muscle tissue. According to the EWI estimates, the heavy metals in these cultured fish do not represent a risk for human consumption.

Content of Pb and Zn in Sediments and Hydrobionts as Ecological Markers for Pollution Assessment of Freshwater Objects in Bulgaria—A Review

“…The research of Alvarado et al [ 107 ] was also related to the analysis of samples of carp liver and muscle tissue and confirmed the presence of higher levels of the metals studied by them in the livers of the captured specimens. The levels of Cu (mg/kg) recorded in the livers of fish in this case ranged from 6.44–47.81; for Zn (mg/kg), in the range 38.44–265.00; and for Cd (µg/kg) and Pb (µg/kg), 13.25–472.40 and 9.70–76.38, respectively.…”

Catfishes: A global review of the literature

“… Cluster #3: Environmental Stressors and Their Effects (Major descriptors: “water,” “toxicity,” “oxidative stress,” “exposure,” “liver,” “ Cyprinus carpio ,” “quality”) - Under the overarching theme of “channel catfish” and “heavy metal,” the research from 2003 in this cluster seems to explore the effects of environmental contaminants, especially heavy metals, on catfish health. The focus on “oxidative stress” and “liver” hints at cellular and organ-level investigations [ 8 , [85] , [86] , [87] ]. Cluster #4: Neuroendocrinology in African Catfish (Major descriptors: “african catfish,” “ Clarias gariepinus ,” “gene expression,” “ Carassium auratus ,” “goldfish,” “brain,” “messenger rna”) - Centered around “african catfish” and the “gonadotropin-releasing hormone,” this 2000 cluster delves into the neuroendocrine mechanisms in catfish.…”

“…Cluster #3: Environmental Stressors and Their Effects (Major descriptors: “water,” “toxicity,” “oxidative stress,” “exposure,” “liver,” “ Cyprinus carpio ,” “quality”) - Under the overarching theme of “channel catfish” and “heavy metal,” the research from 2003 in this cluster seems to explore the effects of environmental contaminants, especially heavy metals, on catfish health. The focus on “oxidative stress” and “liver” hints at cellular and organ-level investigations [ 8 , [85] , [86] , [87] ].…”

Improving flesh quality of grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idellus) by completely replacing dietary soybean meal with yellow mealworm (Tenebrio molitor)

“…Moisture, ash, crude protein and crude lipid were measured by oven drying at 105 °C to constant weight, at 550 °C for 12 h with a muffle furnace (TMF-3100, EYELA Co., Tokyo, Japan), and using the Kjeldahl method and ethyl ether extraction, respectively. The copper (Cu), cadmium (Cd) and arsenic (As) concentration of diets and muscle were determined according to the methods described by Alvarado et al. (2021) .…”