Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Eel (Anguilla anguilla) and brown trout (Salmo trutta) target species to assess the biological impact of trace metal pollution in freshwater ecosystems

  • Published:
Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Copper, lead, and cadmium pollution were measured in water and sediments of two Northern Spanish rivers: Piles and Pigüeña. Liver contents of these heavy metals were analyzed in two fish species (eel, Anguilla anguilla, and brown trout, Salmo trutta) collected from the same locations. Significant levels of heavy metal pollution were found in a 38% of fish that are potential catches for sport fishermen. The results indicate that adult eel could be a good metal bioindicator if sampled at a homogenous age. In contrast, brown trout could be considered as a bioindicator only during the first year of life.

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

  • Amiard-Triquet C, Amiard JC, Andersen AC, Elie P, Métayer C (1987) The eel (Anguilla anguilla L.) as a bioindicator of metal pollution: factors limiting its use. Water Sci Technol 19:1229–1232

    Google Scholar 

  • Bryan GW (1984) Pollution due to heavy metals and their compounds. Mar Ecol 5:1289–1431

    Google Scholar 

  • Deniseger J, Erikson LJ, Austin A, Roch M, Clark MJR (1990) The effects of decreasing heavy metal concentrations on the biota of Buttle Lake Vancouver Island, British Columbia. Water Res 24:403–416

    Google Scholar 

  • Forstner U, Salomons W (1980) Trace metal analysis on polluted sediments. Part I: Assessment of sources and intensities. Environ Technol Letters 1:494–505

    Google Scholar 

  • Forstner U, Wittman GTW (1981) Metal pollution in the aquatic environment. Springer-Verlag, Berlin

    Google Scholar 

  • Giles MA (1984) Electrolyte and water balance in plasma and urine in rainbow trout, during chronic exposure to cadmium. Can J Fish Aquat Sci 45:32–41

    Google Scholar 

  • Hornung H, Kress N (1991) Trace elements in offshore and inshore fish from the Mediterranean coast of Israel. Toxicol Environ Chem 31–32:135–145

    Google Scholar 

  • Labat R, Roquelo C, Richard JM, Lim P, Burgat M (1977) Actions ecotoxicologiques de certains metaux (Cu-Zn-Pb-Cd) chez les poissons dulcaquicoles de la rivière Lot. Ann Limnol 13:191–207

    Google Scholar 

  • Luoma SN (1983) Bioavailability of trace metals to aquatic organisms—a review. Science Total Environ 28:1–22

    Google Scholar 

  • Mann RHK, Blackburn JH (1991) The biology of the eel Anguilla anguilla (L.) in an English chalk stream and interactions with juvenile trout Salmo trutta L. and salmon Salmo salar L. Hydrobiologia 218:65–76

    Google Scholar 

  • Miller PA, Lanno RP, McMaster MC, Dixon DG (1993) Relative contributions of dietary and waterborne copper to tissue copper burdens and waterborne copper tolerance in rainbow trout. Can J Fish Aquat Sci 50:1683–1689

    Google Scholar 

  • Miller PA, Munkittrick KR, Dixon DG (1992) Relationship between concentrations of copper and zinc in water, sediment, benthic invertebrates, and tissues of white sucker (Catastomus commersoni) at metal-contaminated sites. Can J Fish Aquat Sci 49:978–985

    Google Scholar 

  • Neveu A (1981) Variations saisonnières et journalières de l'alimentation de l'anguille (Anguilla anguilla L.) dans des conditions naturelles. Oecol Applic 2:99–116

    Google Scholar 

  • Nurnberg HW (1985) The voltammetric approach in trace metal chemistry of natural waters and atmospheric precipitation. Z Analyt Chem 164:1–21

    Google Scholar 

  • Playle RC, Dixon DG, Burnison K (1993) Copper and cadmium binding to fish gills: modification by dissolved organic carbon and synthetic ligands. Can J Fish Aquat Sci 50:2667–2677

    Google Scholar 

  • Purver D (1985) Trace-element contamination of the environment. Elsevier, Amsterdam

    Google Scholar 

  • Salomons W, Forstner U (1980) Trace metal analysis on polluted sediments. Part II: Evaluation of environmental impact. Environ Technol Letters 1:506–517

    Google Scholar 

  • Spry DJ, Hodson PV, Wood CM (1988) Relative contributions of dietary and waterborne zinc in the rainbow trout. Can J Fish Aquat Sci 45:32–41

    Google Scholar 

  • Wisdom HL, Byrd JT, Smith RG, Huan F (1991) Inadequacy of NAS-QAN data for assessing metal trends in the nation's rivers. Environ Sci Technol 25:1137–1142

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Biología Funcional (Genética), Universidad de Oviedo, C/J. Claveria s/n, 33071, Oviedo, Spain

    A. R. Linde, S. Sanchez-Galan & E. Garcia-Vazquez

  2. Departamento de Ingeniería Química (Tecnología del Medio Ambiente), Universidad de Oviedo, 33204, Gijón, Spain

    P. Arribas

Authors
  1. A. R. Linde
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. P. Arribas
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. S. Sanchez-Galan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. E. Garcia-Vazquez
    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

Linde, A.R., Arribas, P., Sanchez-Galan, S. et al. Eel (Anguilla anguilla) and brown trout (Salmo trutta) target species to assess the biological impact of trace metal pollution in freshwater ecosystems. Arch. Environ. Contam. Toxicol. 31, 297–302 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00212668

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00212668

Keywords

Search

Navigation