Bioaccumulation of heavy metals in Liza saliens from the Esmoriz-Paramos coastal lagoon, Portugal.
Heavy metal (Cu and Zn) concentrations in liver, gills, and muscle of leaping grey mullet, Liza saliens, from the Portuguese Esmoriz-Paramos coastal lagoon were measured to evaluate their bioaccumulation as a function of sediment contamination. The highest metal concentrations were observed in the liver (254 mg Cu kg(-1)) and gills (114 mg Zn kg(-1)). Bioaccumulation factors (BAFs) were found to follow the order: Cu-liver>Cu-gills>Cu-muscle and Zn-gills>Zn-liver>Zn-muscle. The highest BAFs were observed in the organs mainly implicated in metal metabolism and a significant positive relationship was found between BAFs and fish age. These results suggest the loss of homeostatic capacity of L. saliens under chronic metal exposure leading to bioaccumulation. Furthermore, Cu-liver and Zn-gills accumulation can be good environmental indicators of metal stress in L. saliens.
Fernandes
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C
ESA-Escola Superior Agrária, Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, CIMO-Centro de Investigação de Montanha, Campus de Santa Apolónia, Apartado 1172, 5301-854 Bragança, Portugal. conceicao.fernandes@ipb.pt
Fontaínhas-Fernandes
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A
Peixoto
F
F
Salgado
M A
MA
D000818:Animals; D003300:Copper / Q000378:metabolism*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000032:analysis; D005880:Gills / Q000378:metabolism; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D009132:Muscles / Q000378:metabolism; D011174:Portugal; D012623:Seawater; D023701:Smegmamorpha / Q000378:metabolism*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000378:metabolism*; D015032:Zinc / Q000378:metabolism*
D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D003300:Copper; D015032:Zinc