Spatial patterns and environmental factors related to arsenic bioaccumulation in boreal freshwater fish

To better understand the spatial patterns in arsenic (As) bioaccumulation in freshwater systems, we investigated ecological, physical, and chemical factors associated with total arsenic concentrations ([As]) in lacustrine and riverine fish across Ontario, Canada, using a dataset of 3200 fish across 152 waterbodies. Assembled data of water chemistry, landscape characteristics, and stable carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios in muscle tissue were then used to assess factors related to As bioaccumulation. Results show that [As] were generally low across most species and waterbodies (i.e., <1 mu g center dot g-1 wet in many inland fish). However, fish from northern coastal rivers had up to 23-fold higher [As] when compared with fish from landlocked sites. As concentrations increased slightly with the proportion of pelagic carbon in a fish's diet, although relationships varied among species and sites. Furthermore, principal component scores, representing landscape and water chemistry variables, were related to [As] in fish, but these relationships varied among species. These results will help improve the efficacy of fish contaminant monitoring by further identifying key physical and ecological variables related to higher [As] in fish.

Automated summary

This study investigated the spatial patterns in arsenic (As) bioaccumulation in freshwater systems in Ontario, Canada, using a dataset of 3200 fish across 152 waterbodies. The results showed that arsenic concentrations were generally low, but higher in fish from northern coastal rivers compared to landlocked sites. Arsenic concentrations were slightly associated with the proportion of pelagic carbon in a fish's diet, with variations among species and sites.