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The occurrence of lead in the bone tissues of Trematomus bernacchii, Terra Nova Bay, Ross Sea

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 March 2006

Simona Dalla Riva ,
Maria Luisa Abelmoschi ,
Marco Grotti ,
Francesco Soggia ,
Massimiliano Bottaro  and
Marino Vacchi
Simona Dalla Riva
Affiliation:
Department of Chemistry and Industrial Chemistry, University of Genoa, Via Dodecaneso 31, 16146 Genova, Italy
Maria Luisa Abelmoschi
Affiliation:
Department of Chemistry and Industrial Chemistry, University of Genoa, Via Dodecaneso 31, 16146 Genova, Italy
Marco Grotti
Affiliation:
Department of Chemistry and Industrial Chemistry, University of Genoa, Via Dodecaneso 31, 16146 Genova, Italy
Francesco Soggia
Affiliation:
Department of Chemistry and Industrial Chemistry, University of Genoa, Via Dodecaneso 31, 16146 Genova, Italy
Massimiliano Bottaro
Affiliation:
ICRAM, c/o Museo Nazionale dell’Antartide (MNA), University of Genoa, Viale Benedetto X, 5, I-16132 Genova, Italy
Marino Vacchi
Affiliation:
ICRAM, c/o Museo Nazionale dell’Antartide (MNA), University of Genoa, Viale Benedetto X, 5, I-16132 Genova, Italy
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Abstract

The occurrence of lead in various bone tissues of Trematomus bernacchii was investigated in order to identify the optimal target tissue and to examine potential relationships between bone lead concentration and fish size and age. Lead concentration values found in vertebrae and jaws (0.44 ± 0.13 and 0.41 ± 0.09 μg g−1 of dry weight tissue, respectively) were significantly higher than those in the other bones examined (otoliths, branchiostegal rays and pectoral girdles), indicating a preferential accumulation of lead in these tissues. Hence, vertebrae and jaws were selected as suitable target organs. The significance of T. bernacchii as a marker of lead bio-availability for the marine environment was tested by comparing data with the ones obtained for the Scorpaena notata, a benthic fish living in the more polluted coasts of the Mediterranean Sea, and by correlating the lead content found in the fish bones with the concentration of bio-available lead in the marine sediments on which the two fishes live. Bio-availability was evaluated by solid speciation and size fractionation techniques. All data clearly indicated that the difference in bone lead content between S. notata and T. bernacchii (0.83 ± 0.17 μg g−1 and 0.42 ± 0.08 μg g−1, significant at the 99.9% confidence level) can be ascribed to the concentration of bio-available lead in their respective environment. Finally, no correlation between the lead accumulation in bone tissues and fish size and age was found for either fish species.

Keywords

benthic fishbio-availabilityheavy metalsjawssedimentvertebrae
Type
LIFE SCIENCES
Information
Antarctic Science , Volume 18 , Issue 1 , March 2006 , pp. 75 - 80
Copyright
© Antarctic Science Ltd 2006

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