engleski

Heavy metal distribution in tissues of three fish species inhabiting hydroaccumulation Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Three fish species, brown trout (Salmo trutta morfo fario), rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and pumpkinseed (Lepomis gibbosus), collected from hydroaccumulation Mostar in Bosnia and Hercegovina, were analysed for the levels of heavy metals in order to elucidate the accumulation and distribution of these contaminants in tissues of fish frequently included in human diet. Heavy metal (lead - Pb, mercury - Hg, cadmium - Cd and arsenic - As) concentration in fish tissues and organs (muscles, liver, kidney and gonads) was determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry, and expressed as mg•kg-1 of wet tissue. For As and Hg determination hydride generation method was used, while Pb and Cd were measured by electrothermal method. The highest lead concentrations, but still lower than Maximal Allowed Concentration (MAC) in Croatia and other countries, were found in liver and gonads (113 mg•kg-1) of rainbow trout and in gonads (102 mg•kg-1) of pumpkinseed. Mercury concentrations in all three fish species were greatest in kidneys, and the lowest in gonads. All values, ranging from 0.004 to 0.168 mg•kg-1, are lower than MAC in Croatia and most other countries (0.5 mg•kg-1). Interestingly, rainbow trout had the highest values of this metal in all tissues, whereas the lowest concentrations were found in pumpkinseed. Cadmium concentration showed the highest values in muscles and the lowest in gonads of all fish. Arsenic concentration was generally very low in all tissues of analyzed fish species, ranging from 0.051 to 0.15 mg•kg-1, and is much lower than MAC in most countries (1.0 mg•kg-1) and in Croatia (2.0 mg•kg-1). The highest values of this metalloid were in kidneys of brown trout and rainbow trout, while pumpkinseed showed the lowest concentrations in all tissues. Our general conclusion is that concentrations of mercury, lead, arsenic and cadmium in most tissues of all analyzed fish species were lower than the MAC in most countries. Therefore, they may be included in human diet. Heavy metal concentrations in most pumpkinseed tissues were significantly lower then in other analysed fish. Different accumulation pattern in these three fish species can partly be explaned by their different eating habits.

heavy metals; fish tissues; hydroaccumulation Mostar

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