Spatiotemporal distribution of arsenic species of oysters (Crassostrea gigas) in the coastal area of southwestern Taiwan.
This study investigated total arsenic (As) and As species contents of oysters (Crassostrea gigas) in different production areas, seasons and sea locations on the southwestern coast of Taiwan. Analytical results indicate that contents of total As, arsenite, arsenate, dimethylarsinic acid, monomethylarsonic acid and arsenobetaine in oysters are 9.90+/-3.68, 0.091+/-0.104, 0.033+/-0.038, 0.529+/-0.284, 0.037+/-0.046 and 3.94+/-1.33 mg/g (dry wt), respectively. A ratio of inorganic As concentrations to total As concentrations is 1.26%. Total As contents of oysters cultured in the outer sea are statistically significantly lower than those of oysters cultured in the inner sea. The total As contents of oysters is the highest in Putai, where the blackfoot disease prevails. The low As contents in oysters is attributed to the low temperature in winter, which slows the metabolism of oysters. A maximum value is 33.37 microg/g (dry) in Putai in spring, because a considerable amount of aquacultural waste water with high As contents is discharged into adjacent drainage channels and rivers there during that season.
Liu
Chen-Wuing
CW
Department of Bioenvironmental Systems Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan, 106, Republic of China. lcw@gwater.agec.ntu.edu.tw
Huang
Yung-Kay
YK
Hsueh
Yu-Mei
YM
Lin
Kao-Hung
KH
Jang
Cheng-Shin
CS
Huang
Lan-Ping
LP
D000818:Animals; D001151:Arsenic / Q000378:metabolism*; D001152:Arsenicals / Q000378:metabolism*; D049896:Crassostrea / Q000378:metabolism*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis*; D017747:Seafood / Q000032:analysis; D013624:Taiwan; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000378:metabolism*
D001152:Arsenicals; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D001151:Arsenic