title: Mercury, lead, and cadmium in tissues of the Caspian Pond Turtle (Mauremys caspica) from the southern basin of Caspian Sea.
abstract: Concentrations of cadmium, lead, and mercury were measured in different tissues (liver, muscle, and shell) of 60 Caspian Pond Turtles collected from Tajan and Shiroud Rivers, southern basin of the Caspian Sea. Based on the results, different tissues showed different capacities for accumulating trace elements. The general trend of metals accumulation was: liver > shell > muscle. Results also showed that accumulation of these elements was not significantly different between sex and river in turtles (p > 0.05). Based on the results, Hg and Pb concentrations recorded in the present study were higher than some of the maximum concentration permissible. To our knowledge, this is the first report into heavy metal accumulation in tissues and organs of Caspian Pond Turtle from the southern basin of Caspian Sea. Further studies are needed to measure different heavy metals and trace metals in this valuable species.
authors.affiliation: Department of Aquatic Animal Health and Diseases, Iranian Fisheries Research Center, Tehran, Iran. miladadel85@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Milad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Adel
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Science and Policy, Caspian Sea Ecology Research Center, Sari, Iran.
authors.forename: Hasan Nasrollahzadeh
authors.initials: HN
authors.lastname: Saravi
authors.affiliation: Center of Biotechnology and Biology Research, Shahid Chamran University, Ahvaz, Iran.
authors.forename: Maryam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dadar
authors.affiliation: Department of Marine Chemistry, Mazandaran University, Babolsar, Mazandaran, Iran.
authors.forename: Leila
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Niyazi
authors.affiliation: Servicios de Salud de Sinaloa, Culiacán, Mexico.
authors.forename: Cesar P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Ley-Quinonez
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002104:Cadmium / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D007854:Lead / Q000032:analysis*; D008099:Liver / Q000737:chemistry*; D008297:Male; D008628:Mercury / Q000032:analysis*; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000737:chemistry*; D009792:Oceans and Seas; D014426:Turtles / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D002104:Cadmium; D007854:Lead; D008628:Mercury
keywords: Caspian Pond Turtle; Caspian Sea; Heavy metal; Mauremys caspica; Sex; Tissues