title: Trace elements in the livers of cod (Gadus morhua L.) from the Baltic Sea: levels and temporal trends.
abstract: This paper presents and discusses the levels and temporal trends of concentrations of Cd, Pb, Hg, Cu, Zn, and As in livers and Hg in the muscle tissues of cod (Gadus morhua L) from the Baltic Sea during the period 1994-2010. Concentrations of Pb, Hg, and Cd exhibited significant downward trends. Cu and Zn concentrations exhibited upward trends in the period 1994 to 2010. No trends were detected for concentrations of As. The temporal trends identified in heavy metal concentrations in cod livers corresponded to the directions of changes in concentrations of these elements introduced into the Baltic Sea via river runoff and atmospheric emission, and those in surface and deep waters of the Baltic. Downward trends in the concentrations of toxic metals in cod livers suggest that advantageous changes are occurring in concentrations of heavy metals in the environment of the southern Baltic Sea.
authors.affiliation: Department of Food and Environmental Chemistry, National Marine Fisheries Research Institute, ul. Kołłątaja 1, 81-332 Gdynia, Poland. chemia@mir.gdynia.pl
authors.forename: Lucyna
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Polak-Juszczak
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D048389:Gadus morhua / Q000378:metabolism*; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D008670:Metals / Q000378:metabolism*; D014131:Trace Elements / Q000378:metabolism*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000378:metabolism*; D014877:Water Pollution, Chemical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
chemical_list: D008670:Metals; D014131:Trace Elements; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical