Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

No relationship found between mercury and lead concentrations in muscle and scales of chub Squalius cephalus L.

  • Published:
Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

We examined the relationship between muscle and scale mercury (Hg) and lead (Pb) concentrations in chub Squalius cephalus L. from six riverine sites in the Czech Republic in order to determine whether scale analysis alone could provide a nonlethal and convenient method for prediction of heavy metal concentration in muscle tissue. Our results confirm tissue-specific heavy metal accumulation in chub, with Hg tending to accumulate primarily in muscle tissue and Pb in scales. We found no significant relationship, however, for concentrations of either Pb or Hg between muscle tissue and scales of chub. Our results indicate that scales cannot be used for predicting heavy metal contamination in muscle of chub and we recommend, therefore, that muscle biopsy methods continue as the preferred method of analysis.

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

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Baker, R. F., Blanchfield, P. J., Paterson, M. J., Flett, R. J., & Wesson, L. (2004). Evaluation of nonlethal methods for the analysis of mercury in fish tissue. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society, 133, 568–576.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Barata, C., Fabregat, M. C., Cotín, J., Huertas, D., Solé, M., Quirós, L., et al. (2010). Blood biomarkers and contaminant levels in feathers and eggs to assess environmental hazards in heron nestlings from impacted sites in Ebro basin (NE Spain). Environmental Pollution, 158, 704–710.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Baruš, V., & Oliva, O. (1995). Fauna of the Czech and Slovak Republic—lampreys and fishes. Prague: Academia.

    Google Scholar 

  • Burger, J., & Gochfeld, M. (2007). Risk to consumers from mercury in Pacific cod (Gadus macrocephalus) from the Aleutians: Fish age and size effects. Environmental Research, 105, 276–284.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Červenka, R., Bednařík, A., Komárek, J., Ondračková, M., Jurajda, P., Vítek, T., et al. (2011). The relationship between the mercury concentration in fish muscles and scales/fins and its significance. Central European Journal of Chemistry, 9(6), 1109–1116.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chalmers, A. T., Afrue, D. M., Gay, D. A., Brigham, M. E., Schmitt, C. J., & Lorenz, D. L. (2011). Mercury trends in fish from rivers and lakes in the United States, 1969–2005. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 175, 175–191.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chen, Y. C., Chen, C. Y., Hwang, H. J., Chang, W. B., Yeh, W. J., & Chen, M. H. (2000). Comparison of the metal concentrations in muscle and liver tissues of fishes from the Erren River, southern Taiwan, after the restoration in 2000. Journal of Food and Drug Analysis, 12(4), 358–366.

    Google Scholar 

  • Christoforidis, A., Stamatis, N., Schmieder, K., & Tsachalidis, E. (2008). Organochlorine and mercury contamination in fish tissues from the River Nestos, Greece. Chemosphere, 70, 694–702.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ciesielski, T., Pastukhov, M. V., Szefer, P., & Jenssen, B. M. (2010). Bioaccumulation of mercury in the pelagic food chain of Lake Baikal. Chemosphere, 78, 1378–1384.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dórea, J. G. (2008). Persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic substances in fish: Human health consideration. The Science of the Total Environment, 400, 93–114.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dušek, L., Svobodová, Z., Janoušková, D., Vykusová, B., Jarkovský, J., Šmíd, R., et al. (2005). Bioaccumulation of mercury in muscle tissue of fish in the Elbe River (Czech Republic): Multispecies monitoring study 1991–1996. Ecotoxology and Environmental Safety, 61, 256–267.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • European Commission. (2000). Directive 2000/60/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2000 establishing a framework for Community action in the field of water policy. Official Journal of the European Communities, 327, 1–72.

    Google Scholar 

  • Farrell, A. P., Hodaly, A. H., & Wang, S. (2000). Metal analysis of scales taken from arctic grayling. Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, 39, 515–522.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gremillion, P. T., Cizdziel, J. V., & Cody, N. R. (2005). Caudal fin mercury as a non-lethal predictor of fish-muscle mercury. Environmental Chemistry, 2(2), 96–99.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hamilton, S. J., Holley, K. M., Buhl, K. J., Bullard, F. A., Weston, L. K., & McDonald, S. F. (2002). Impact of selenium and other trace elements on the endangered razorback sucker. Environmental Toxicology, 17, 297–323.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Havelková, M., Dušek, L., Némethová, D., Poleszczuk, G., & Svobodová, Z. (2008). Comparison of mercury distribution between liver and muscle—A biomonitoring of fish from lightly and heavily contaminated localities. Sensors, 8, 4095–4109.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Houserová, P., Kuban, V., Spurný, P., & Habarta, P. (2006). Determination of total mercury and mercury species in fish and aquatic ecosystems of Moravian rivers. Veterinární Medicína, 51(33), 101–110.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jardine, T. D., Hunt, R. J., Pusey, B. J., & Bunn, S. E. (2011). A non-lethal sampling method for stable carbon and nitrogen isotope studies of tropical fishes. Marine and Freshwater Research, 62, 83–90. doi:10.1071/MF20211.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jarup, L. (2003). Hazards of heavy metal contamination. British Medical Bulletin, 68, 167–182.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Karadede, H., & Ünlü, E. (2000). Concentrations of some heavy metals in water, sediment and fish species from the Atatürk Dam Lake (Euphrates), Turkey. Chemosphere, 411, 1371–1376.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kelly, M. H., Hagar, W. G., Jardine, T. D., & Cunjak, R. A. (2006). Nonlethal sampling of sunfish and slimy sculpin for stable isotope analysis: How scale and fin tissue compare with muscle tissue. North American Journal of Fisheries Management, 26, 921–925. doi:10.1577/M05-084.1.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kružíková, K., Randák, T., Kenšová, R., Kroupová, H., Leontovyčová, D., & Svobodová, Z. (2008). Mercury and methylmercury concentrations in muscle tissue of fish caught in major rivers of the Czech Republic. Acta Veterinaria Brno, 77, 637–643.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Krywult, M., Klich, M., & Szarek-Gwiazda, E. (2008). Metal concentrations in chub, Leuciscus cephalus, from a submontane river. Acta Ichthyologica et Piscatoria, 38(1), 47–53.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lake, J. L., Ryba, S. A., Serbst, J. R., & Libby, A. D. (2006). Mercury in fish scales as an assessment method for predicting muscle tissue mercury concentrations in Largemouth Bass. Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, 50, 539–544.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Law No. 246/1992 Sb for protection of cruelty to animals (2008) Statute book no. 409/2008 (pp. 6611–6645). The Government of the Czech Republic

  • Maceda-Veiga, A., Monroy, M., & De Sostoa, A. (2012). Metal bioaccumulation in the Mediterranean barbel (Barbus meridionalis) in a Mediterranean river receiving effluents from urban and industrial wastewater treatment plants. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, 76, 93–101.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Malik, N., Biswas, A. K., Qureshi, T. A., Borana, K., & Virha, R. (2010). Bioaccumulation of heavy metals in fish tissues of a freshwater lake of Bhopal. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 160, 267–276.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Osmundson, B. C., May, T. W., & Osmundson, D. B. (2000). Selenium concentrations in the Colorado pikeminnow (Ptychocheilus lucius): Relationship with flows in the Upper Colorado River. Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, 38, 479–485.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Radnák, T., Žlábek, V., Pulkrabová, J., Kolařová, J., Kroupová, H., Široká, Z., et al. (2009). Effects of pollution on chub in the River Elbe, Czech Republic. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, 72, 737–746.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rashed, M. N. (2001). Cadmium and lead levels in fish (Tilapia nilotica) tissues as biological indicator for lake water pollution. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 68, 75–89.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rolfhus, K. R., Sandheinrich, M. B., Wiener, J. G., Bailey, S. W., Thoreson, K. A., & Hammerschmidt, C. R. (2008). Analysis of fin clip as a nonlethal method for prediction mercury in fish. Environmental Science and Technology, 42(3), 871–877.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ryba, S. A., Lake, J. L., Serbst, J. R., Libby, A. D., & Ayvazian, S. (2008). Assessment of caudal fin clip as a non-lethal technique for prediction of muscle tissue mercury concentrations in largemouth bass. Environmental Chemistry, 5(3), 200–203.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sanderson, B. L., Tran Chau, D., Coe Holly, J., Pelekis, V., Steel, E. A., & Reichert, W. L. (2009). Nonlethal sampling of fish caudal fins yields valuable stable isotope data for threatened and endangered fishes. Transactions of the Americal Fisheries Society, 138, 1166–1177. doi:10.1577/T08-086.1.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sauer, G. R., & Watabe, N. (1989). Temporal and metal-specific patterns in the accumulation of heavy metals by the scales of Fundulus heteroclitus. Aquatic Toxicology, 14(3), 233–248.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Schmitt, C. J., & Brumbaugh, W. G. (2007). Evaluation of potentially nonlethal sampling methods for monitoring mercury concentrations in Smallmouth Bass (Micropterus dolomieu). Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, 53, 84–95.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Spurný, P., Mareš, J., Hedvábný, J., & Sukop, I. (2002). Heavy metal distribution in the ecosystems of the upper course of the Jihlava River. Czech Journal of Animal Science, 47(4), 160–167.

    Google Scholar 

  • Spurný, P., Mareš, J., Hedvábný, J., & Sukop, I. (2009). Residual metal contamination of the ecosystem in the lower course of the Jihlava River. Acta Veterinaria Brno, 78, 525–534.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Teodorof, L., Nastase, C., & Anuti, I. (2009). Bioaccumulation of heavy metals in fish from Dobrudja Aquaculture Farm. Revista de Chimie (Bucuresti), 60(11), 1235–1241.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Valová, Z., Jurajda, P., Janáč, M., Bernardová, I., & Hudcová, H. (2010). Spatiotemporal trends of heavy metal concentrations in fish of the River Morava (Danube basin). Journal of Environmental Science and Health Part A, 45, 1892–1899.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yoshitomi, T., Nakayasu, C., Hasegawa, S., Iida, A., & Okamoto, N. (1998). Site-specific lead distribution in scales of lead-administered carp (Cyprinus carpio) by non-destructive SR-XRF analysis. Chemosphere, 36(10), 2305–2310.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This study was supported by research project VaV SP/207/73/08 “Identification of anthropogenic pressures on the quantitative state of water and water ecosystems in the Morava and Dyje river basin district” and project ECIP P505/12/G112 “European Centre of Ichthyoparasitology”.

The authors are grateful to the officials and managers of the Czech Anglers Union and the Moravian Anglers Union for allowing us to sample fish, and the staff of Morava River Basin Authority for providing data on water contamination levels. We would like to thank Radoslava Funková for laboratory analysis, Mgr. Michal Janáč, Ph.D. for help with statistical analysis and all the people who helped in the field. Finally, we thank two anonymous referees for their helpful comments.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Vertebrate Biology, v.v.i., Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Květná 8, 603 65, Brno, Czech Republic

    Zdenka Valová, Kevin Roche & Pavel Jurajda

  2. TGM Water Research Institute, v.v.i., Mojmírovo náměstí 16, 612 00, Brno, Czech Republic

    Hana Hudcová, Jana Svobodová & Ilja Bernardová

Authors
  1. Zdenka Valová
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Hana Hudcová
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Kevin Roche
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Jana Svobodová
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Ilja Bernardová
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Pavel Jurajda
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Zdenka Valová.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Valová, Z., Hudcová, H., Roche, K. et al. No relationship found between mercury and lead concentrations in muscle and scales of chub Squalius cephalus L.. Environ Monit Assess 185, 3359–3368 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-012-2796-5

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-012-2796-5

Keywords

Search

Navigation