[Rare earth elements in marine organisms from Shenzhen coastal region].
OBJECTIVE
A sensitive quantificational method was set up to determine the rare earth elements (REE) in marine organisms from Shenzhen coastal region. Characteristics of REE contents and distribution patterns of REE were analyzed.


METHODS
A total of 60 samples of marine organisms were collected at six sampling sites in the Shenzhen coastal region. Concentrations of Y, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Er, Ho, Tm and Lu in the samples were determined by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The quantificational method was validated with standard reference material GBW 10016 (tea-leaf).


RESULTS
The mean concentrations of total REE in mollusk, barnacle, shrimp and fish were (2.66 +/- 2.28), (4.69 +/- 1.32), (0.03 +/- 0.03) and (0.07 +/- 0.02) microg/g, respectively. Enrichment of light REE (LREE) over heavy REEs (HREE) were observed for all tested marine organisms.


CONCLUSIONS
(1) The chondrite-normalized distribution of REE for mollusk, barnacle and shrimp showed a similar pattern with those of sediment in northern continent slopes of the South China Sea, soils of Hong Kong and the Mainland (mean), while small differences were observed for fish. (2) Consumers would be faced with risk to eat the bivalves. (3) Barnacle and oyster were suggested here as bio-marker for REE in marine environment due to the high potential of REE enrichment, similar chondrite-normalized distribution to marine sediment and adhering life style of the two kind of animals.
Zhang
Huimin
H
Shenzhen Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shenzhen Guangdong 518020, China. hmzhang2004@yahoo.com.cn
Deng
Li
L
Yang
Jun
J
Jiang
Jie
J
Shen
Zhiguo
Z
Xie
Jianbin
J
D000818:Animals; D059001:Aquatic Organisms / Q000737:chemistry*; D002681:China; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D005399:Fishes; D008674:Metals, Rare Earth / Q000032:analysis*; D008974:Mollusca / Q000737:chemistry; D001468:Thoracica / Q000737:chemistry
D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D008674:Metals, Rare Earth