Studies on the bioavailability of heavy metals (Cd, Pb, Cu, Zn) from bottom sediments to guppies, Poecilia reticulata Peters

Abstract

The experiment was carried out to determine the potential of heavy metals (Cd, Pb, Cu and Zn) passing from bottom sediments to fish and to identify the correlations between concentrations of these metals in bottom sediments and those in fish. The study material consisted of guppies Poecilia reticulata Peters and bottom sediments with known concentrations of the determined metals in particular fractions. As result of the 60-day exposure of the fish to environments with bottom sediments containing various heavy metals loads, an increasing trend was observable for cadmium and lead concentrations in guppies. Comparative analysis showed that the degree of bottom sediment heavy metal contamination influenced concentrations of these in the guppies. It was found that even small changes in environmental conditions affected the release of metals from bottom sediments, which resulted in notable differences in the concentrations of the examined metals in the fish.

CORRESPONDING AUTHOR:

Izabela Bochenek, University of Szczecin, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Chair of Physiology, Sokoła 1/3, 71-691 Szczecin, Poland, Tel. +48 91 4494699; e-mail: zuniai@wp.pl