Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The importance of contaminated food for the uptake of heavy metals by rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri): a field study

  • Original Papers
  • Published:
Oecologia Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

  1. 1.

    The concentrations of Zn, Cu, Cd, Pb, Cr, Ni, and Mn have been measured in water, sediments, and organisms from two contaminated rivers situated in an industrial area and near a motorway on the southern city boundary of Bolzano, Italy.

  2. 2.

    The low metal contents of water are in contrast to the elevated concentrations of sediments indicating a chronic rather than an acute contamination of the rivers.

  3. 3.

    The metal concentrations of the dominant moss Fontinalis antipyretrica are higher than those of sediments, the lower branches of the plant being more concentrated than its upper parts.

  4. 4.

    Among benthic invertebrates the dominant animals are the isopod Asellus aquaticus and the snail Lymnaea truncatula. Both species feed on contaminated moss or detritus and accumulate the heavy metals to an even greater extent than the water plants.

  5. 5.

    The dominant predator is the rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri) which feeds mainly on metal enriched isopods and snails.

  6. 6.

    As a consequence, there is an absorption of heavy metals from lumen of fish into the gut tissue and a flux to other organs such as liver, kidney, and muscle.

  7. 7.

    Since the metal concentrations of water are low it is suggested that the absorption through the gills of fish may be of secondary importance compared with the excessive supply through the food.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Abo-Rady MKK (1980) Makrophytische Wasserpflanzen als Bioindikatoren für die Schwermetallbelastung der oberen Leine. Arch Hydrobiol 89 (3):387–404

    Google Scholar 

  • Ahlf W, Irmer U, Weber A (1980) Über die Anreicherung von Blei durch Süßwassergrünalgen unter Berücksichtigung verschiedener Außenfaktoren. Zeitschr f Pflanzenphys 100 (3):197–207

    Google Scholar 

  • Aoyama I, Inoue Yos, Inoue Yor (1978a) Experimental study on the concentration process of trace element through a chain from the viewpoint of nutrition ecology. Wat Res 12 (10):831

    Google Scholar 

  • Aoyama I, Inoue Yos, Inoue Yor (1978b) Simulation analysis of the concentration process of trace heavy metals by aquatic organisms from the viewpoint of nutrition ecology. Wat Res 12 (10):837

    Google Scholar 

  • Bendetta G (1978) Inquinamento atmosferico e vegetazionale. Metodi biologici per la determinazione di immissioni fitotossiche. In: Laboratorio biologico Laives — studi e ricerche. Ed. by Provincia Autonoma di Bolzano — Alto Adige, p 9

  • Brown BE (1977) Uptake of copper and lead by a metal tolerant isopod Asellus meridianus Rac. Freshwat Biol 7 (3):235–244

    Google Scholar 

  • Brown BE (1978) Lead detoxification by a copper-tolerant isopod. Nature 276 (5686):388

    Google Scholar 

  • Buckley JT, Roch M, McCarter JA, Rendell CA (1982) Chronic exposure of coho salmon to sublethal concentrations of copper. I. Effect on growth, on accumulation and distribution of copper and on copper tolerance. Comp Biochem Physiol 72A (1):15–19

    Google Scholar 

  • Canton JH, Slooff W (1982) Toxicity and accumulation studies of cadmium with freshwater organisms of different trophic levels. Ecotoxicol and Environm Safety 6:113–128

    Google Scholar 

  • Chapman PM, Churchland LM, Thomson PA, Michnowsky E (1980) Heavy metal studies with oligochaetes. In: Brinkhurst RO, Cook DG (eds) Aquatic oligochaete biology. 1st internat symp on aquat oligochaete biology, Sidney 1979, pp 477–502

  • Dietz F (1982) Wechselwirkung der Schwermetalle zwischen Wasser and Sediment am Beispiel der Ruhr. Münchner Beitr zur Abwasser-, Fischerei- und Flußbiologie 34:273–299

    Google Scholar 

  • Enk MD, Mathis BJ (1977) Distribution of cadmium and lead in a stream ecosystem. Hydrobiologia 52 (2–3):153–158

    Google Scholar 

  • Förstner U, Müller G (1974) Schwermetalle in Flüssen und Seen als Ausdruck der Umweltverschmutzung. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York, p 225

    Google Scholar 

  • Hakanson L (1984) Metals in fish and sediments from the river Kolbäcksan water system, Sweden. Arch Hydrobiol 101 (3):373–400

    Google Scholar 

  • Hughes GM, Flos R (1978) Zinc content of the gills of rainbow trout (S. gairdneri) after treatment with zinc solutions under normoxic and hypoxic conditions. J Fish Biol 13 (16):717

    Google Scholar 

  • Knox D, Cowey CB, Adron JW (1982) Effects of dietary copper and copper: zinc ratio on rainbow trout Salmo gairdneri. Aquacult 27:111–119

    Google Scholar 

  • Mathis BJ, Cummings TF, Gower M, Taylor M, King C (1979) Dynamics of manganese, cadmium, and lead in experimental power plant ponds. Hydrobiologia 67 (3):197–206

    Google Scholar 

  • Möller W (1978) Untersuchungen zum Bleigehalt von Süßwasserschnecken im Oberrheingebiet (Mollusca: Gastropoda). Arch Hydrobiol 83 (3):405–418

    Google Scholar 

  • Montgomery JR, Santiago RJ (1978) Zinc and copper in “particulate” forms and “soluble” complexes with inorganic or organic ligands in the Guanajibo river and coastal zone, Puerto Rico, Estuar and Coast Mar Sci 6 (1):111

    Google Scholar 

  • Müller G, Prosi F (1978) Verteilung von Zink, Kupfer und Cadmium in verschiedenen Organen von Plötzen (Rutilus rutilus L.) aus Neckar und Elsenz. Z Naturforsch 33c:7–14

    Google Scholar 

  • Nehring RB (1976) Aquatic insects as biological monitors of heavy metal pollution. Bull Environm Contam Toxicol 15 (2):147

    Google Scholar 

  • Pärt P, Svanberg O (1981) Uptake of cadmium in perfused rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri) gills. Can J Fish Aquat Sci 38:917–923

    Google Scholar 

  • Patrick FM, Loutit M (1976) Passage of metals in effluents, through bacteria to higher organisms. Wat Res 10:333–335

    Google Scholar 

  • Patrick FM, Loutit M (1978) Passage of metals to fresh water fish from their food. Wat Res 12 (6):395–398

    Google Scholar 

  • Schrader EL, Furbish WJ (1978) Aqueous and sedimentological model for heavy metal contamination of stream systems affected by sulfide mining in eastern United States. Bull Environm Contam Toxicol 20 (2):159

    Google Scholar 

  • Segner H, Back H (1985) Nahrung als Quelle der Schwermetallkontamination bei Salmo gairdneri im Labor. Aktuelle Probieme der angewandten Fischbiologie, workshop in Innsbruck, 26–27 april 1985

  • Spehar RL, Anderson RL, Fiandt JT (1978) Toxicity and bioaccumulation of cadmium and lead in aquatic invertebrates. Environment Pollut 15 (3):195

    Google Scholar 

  • Thomas DG, Cryer A, Solbe J, De LG, Kay J (1983) A comparison and protein binding of environmental cadmium in the gills, kidney and liver of rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri Richardson). Comp Biochem Physiol 76C (2):241–246

    Google Scholar 

  • Van Hassel JH, Ney JJ, Garling DL jr (1980) Heavy metals in a stream ecosystem at sites near highways. Transact Amer Fish Soc 109:636–643

    Google Scholar 

  • Vinikour WS, Goldstein RM, Anderson RV (1980) Bioconcentration patterns of zinc, copper, cadmium, and lead in selected fish species from the Fox-river, Illinois. Bull Environment Contam Toxicol 24 (5):727

    Google Scholar 

  • Wachs B (1978) Kontamination der Oberflächengewässer durch Cadmium. In: Schadstoffe im Oberflächenwasser und im Abwasser. Münchner Beitr zur Abwasser-, Fischerei-und Flußbiologie 30:85–119

  • Wachs B (1982) Die Bioindikation von Schwermetallen in Fließgewässern. Münchner Beitr zur Abwasser, Fischerei- und Fluß-biologie 34:301–337

    Google Scholar 

  • Wilson JG, McMahon RF (1981) Effects of high environmental copper concentration on the oxygen consumption, condition and shell morphology of natural populations of Mytilus edulis L. and Littorina rudis Maton. Comp Biochem Physiol 70C:139–147

    Google Scholar 

  • Yediler A (1978a) Die Akkumulation von Zink in Pflanzen, Sediment und Fischen. Z f Wasser- u Abwasser-Forsch 11 (1):11–13

    Google Scholar 

  • Yediler A (1978b) Anreicherungsverhalten von Zink in Binnengewässern. In: Schadstoffe im Oberflächenwasser und im Abwasser. Münchner Beitr zur Abwasser-, Fischerei- und Flußbiologie 30:73–83

  • Züllig H (1962) Sedimente als Ausdruck des Zustandes eines Gewässers. Schweiz Z Hydrologie 18:7–143

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institut für Zoologie, Abteilung Zoophysiologie der Universität Innsbruck, Peter Mayr-Straße 1A, A-6020, Innsbruck, Austria

    Reinhard Dallinger & Hannes Kautzky

Authors
  1. Reinhard Dallinger
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Hannes Kautzky
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Dallinger, R., Kautzky, H. The importance of contaminated food for the uptake of heavy metals by rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri): a field study. Oecologia 67, 82–89 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00378455

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00378455

Keywords

Search

Navigation