title: Metal exposure assessment in native fish, Mullus barbatus L., from the Eastern Adriatic Sea.
abstract: Metallothionein (MT) and metal (Zn, Cu, Fe, Mn, Cd) association in the cytosol of liver, kidney and intestine was studied on native Mullus barbatus specimens. Investigated parameters of all specimens (1 to 8-year-old) were related to the fish length, which reflects fish growth and aging. Cytosolic metal concentrations in liver, kidney and intestine are tissue specific but in general decrease as follows: Fe approximately Zn>Cu>Mn>Cd. Metallothionein levels are also tissue specific with the highest level in intestine, followed by kidney and liver. Percentage partition of MT and Zn in liver, kidney and intestine cytosol of red mullet is comparable. Associations of MT and metals that induce MT synthesis exist in liver for MT/Zn (r=0.28) and MT/Cu (r=0.26) and in intestine for MT/Cu (r=0.38). Unlike essential metals, there is no significant correlation between MT and the toxic metal Cd, what is ascribed to its very low cytosolic concentration. The most pronounced size-related accumulation is found for the toxic metal Cd in liver cytosol (r=0.69), indicating chronic Cd accumulation. Negative correlation between metals (Cd, Zn, Fe, Mn) and the condition factor also indicates chronic metal effects and their metabolic impact.
authors.affiliation: Division of Marine and Environmental Research, Ruder Bosković Institute, Bijenicka c. 54, P.O. Box 180, HR-10002 Zagreb, Croatia. vfilip@irb.hr
authors.forename: Vlatka
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Filipović Marijić
authors.forename: Biserka
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Raspor
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001699:Biometry; D003600:Cytosol / Q000378:metabolism; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism; D007668:Kidney / Q000378:metabolism; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D008668:Metallothionein; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D009792:Oceans and Seas; D010473:Perciformes / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000378:metabolism*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D019216:Metals, Heavy; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D008668:Metallothionein