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Comparison of Arsenic and Antimony Contents in Tissues and Organs of Brown Trout Caught from the River Presa Polluted by Ancient Mining Practices and from the River Bravona in Corsica (France): A Survey Study

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Abstract

The present study evaluates the concentrations of arsenic (As) and antimony (Sb) in the intestine, liver, muscle, gonads, gills, and kidney of Salmo trutta subsp. from the Presa River in Corsica (France; n = 10), which crosses an abandoned arsenic mine, and from the Bravona River (reference site; n = 10). Both metalloids were analyzed by means of ICP-MS. The relationships between fish size (length and weight) and metalloid concentrations in their tissues were investigated by linear regression analysis. In all fish samples concentrations of As and Sb (expressed as micrograms per gram fresh weight) were highest in the kidney. Lowest Sb concentrations were found in the muscle, whereas lowest As concentrations were found in the gonads of S. trutta. Two organotropisms were revealed: one for As—kidney (21.4656) > intestine (3.9535) > gills (3.0404) > liver (1.1743) > muscle (0.9976) > gonads (0.8081); and the other for Sb—kidney (0.70067) > gills (0.6181) > intestine (0.2576) > gonads (0.1673) > liver (0.9625) > muscle (0.0753). Results of linear regression analysis in most cases showed a significant negative correlation between metalloid concentration and fish size. Highly significant (p < 0.05) negative correlations were found between fish length and As concentration in the gonads, as well as between fish length and Sb concentrations in the gills. Arsenic concentrations in female fish were significantly higher than those in males in the kidney, gonads, gills, and liver. The same results were found for Sb, except in the liver, where the tendency was reversed.

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Acknowledgment

We thank the Serveis Científico-Tècnics of the University of Barcelona for their valuable contribution to the development of this study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. CNRS UMR SPE 6134, Laboratoire Parasites et Ecosystèmes méditerranéens, Faculté des Sciences et Techniques, Université de Corse, Campus Grossetti, 20250, Corte, France

    J. Foata, Y. Quilichini & B. Marchand

  2. Laboratori de Parasitologia, Departament de Microbiologia i Parasitologia Sanitàries, Facultat de Farmàcia, Universitat de Barcelona, Av. Joan XXIII, sn, 08028, Barcelona, Spain

    J. Torres

  3. CNRS UMR SPE 6134, Laboratoire Sciences de la Terre, Faculté des Sciences et Techniques, Université de Corse, Campus Grossetti, 20250, Corte, France

    E. Pereira & M. M. Spella

  4. Office National de l’Eau et des Milieux Aquatiques, lieu-dit Guazza, 20290, Prunelli di Casacconi, Corse, France

    J. Mattei

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  1. J. Foata
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  2. Y. Quilichini
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Foata, J., Quilichini, Y., Torres, J. et al. Comparison of Arsenic and Antimony Contents in Tissues and Organs of Brown Trout Caught from the River Presa Polluted by Ancient Mining Practices and from the River Bravona in Corsica (France): A Survey Study. Arch Environ Contam Toxicol 57, 581–589 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00244-009-9300-4

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