Journal
APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL
Volume 11, Issue 6, Pages -Publisher
MDPI
DOI: 10.3390/app11062492
Keywords
bioaccumulation; metal toxicity; silverside; puye; Odontesthes regia; Galaxias maculatus; lead poisoning; cadmium poisoning
Categories
Funding
- CONICYT FONDECYT [11190631]
- FONDAPIDEAL [15150003]
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This study examined levels of heavy metals in water and fish in the Valdivia River estuary in Chile. It found that heavy metal concentrations were significantly higher in puyes than in silversides, with lead and cadmium levels in puyes exceeding the maximum recommended levels. This poses a risk to the human population.
Estuaries worldwide have been severely degraded and become reservoirs for many types of pollutants, such as heavy metals. This study investigated the levels of Cd, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn in water and whole fish. We sampled 40 juvenile silversides Odontesthes regia and 41 juvenile puye Galaxias maculatus from the Valdivia River estuary, adjacent to the urban area in southern South America (Chile). Samples were analyzed using a flame atomic absorption spectrophotometer. In water samples, metals except Zn were mostly below the detection limits and all metals were below the maximum levels established by local guidelines in this estuary. In whole fish samples, concentrations of Cu, Zn, Pb, Mn, and Cd were significantly higher in puyes than in silversides. Additionally, Zn, Pb, and Mn were correlated to body length and weight in puyes, whereas Cd was correlated to body length in silversides. The mean concentration of heavy metals in silverside and puyes were higher than those reported in the literature. In silversides, all heavy metal levels were below the limits permitted by current legislation (FAO), whereas in puyes Pb and Cd levels were above the recommended maximum level established by international guidelines, therefore putting the human population at risk.
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