title: Accumulation of toxic metals (Pb and Cd) in the sea urchin Diadema aff. antillarum Philippi, 1845, in an oceanic island (Tenerife, Canary Islands).
abstract: This document shows the results obtained from a study on the concentration of toxic heavy metals in the internal tissue and exoskeleton of sea urchins, collected from their natural habitat. The levels of lead and cadmium were measured by Graphite Furnace Atomic Absorption Spectrometry. The mean concentrations of lead and cadmium in the internal tissue were 304.04 and 260.54 microg/kg respectively, whereas in the shell they were 185.02 and 142.48 microg/kg. We also performed a statistical analysis of the differences in the distribution of metals between their exoskeleton and their internal content, a correlation study of the metal content in internal tissue and shell and sampling areas, and a correlation study between the metal content and sample size. Since the sea urchin Diadema antillarum presents a wide range of variation in metal content, this study suggests that this species is an excellent bioindicator of heavy metal contamination.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health and Toxicology, University of La Laguna, La Laguna, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain.
authors.forename: Ofelia Dolores
authors.initials: OD
authors.lastname: Hernández
authors.forename: Angel José
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Gutiérrez
authors.forename: Dailos
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: González-Weller
authors.forename: Gonzalo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lozano
authors.forename: Enrique García
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Melón
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rubio
authors.forename: Arturo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hardisson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001267:Atlantic Ocean; D002104:Cadmium / Q000032:analysis* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000633:toxicity; D017753:Ecosystem; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D007854:Lead / Q000032:analysis* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000633:toxicity; D012617:Sea Urchins / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D013030:Spain; D014018:Tissue Distribution; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000633:toxicity
chemical_list: D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D002104:Cadmium; D007854:Lead