Response of vanadium bioaccumulation in tissues of Mugil cephalus (Linnaeus 1758)

Vanadium accumulation levels in different tissues (muscle and organs) of the striped mullet Mugil cephalus (Linnaeus, 1758) and possible relationships with blood parameters were evaluated in a Natural Protected Area (Lake Faro, Sicily, Italy), during the winter of 2017. Hematological parameters (red blood cell, RBC; while blood cell, WBC; hemoglobin concentration, Hb; hematocrit, Hct; mean corpuscular volume, MCV; mean corpuscular hemoglobin, MCH; mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration, MCHC; thrombocytes, TC), biometric indices (weight, total and fork length), and vanadium levels in muscles and organs (gills, liver, stomach and intestine) were de termined. Statistical analyses showed significant differences in concentrations of vanadium of the analyzed tissue of M. cephalus and a positive relationship between vanadium concentration in the liver and sonic hematological parameters (RBC, Hb and Hct) and biometric indices. Our results underline the importance of fish blood parameters as sensitive indicators of toxic impact of environmental factors such as metals. This study, focusing on an ongoing topic, represents a valuable contribution to research concerning the monitoring and prevention of vanadium pollution in aquatic organisms and environments. (C) 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.