HEAVY
METALS CONTENT IN THE FISH OF THE OB RIVER
P. A. Popov*, N. A. Popova
*Institute of Water and
Ecological Problems Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy Sciences; Morskoi
Ave., 2, Novosibirsk, Russia, 630090
Novosibirsk State University,
Pirogova Str., 2, Novosibirsk, Russia, 630090
ABSTRACT
Results
of investigations of 10 elements (Cd, Hg, Pb, Co, Ni, Cu, Cr, Mn, Zn and Fe) content
in organs (muscles, liver, kidneys, heart, spleen, ovary, gills) of 9 game fish
species (taimen, graylyng, pike, perch, pike-perch, dare, roach, common bream
and orfe) from the Ob river basin carried out in 1962, 1989-1999 years have
been presented. In the majority of samples analyzed the concentration of heavy
metals did not exceed of maximal permissible concentration (MPS) of heavy
metals in fresh fish food, which accepted in Russia. The character of
accumulation and distribution of heavy metals in organs of all studied fish
species was complicated. In common bream affected by Ligula intestinalis the
pattern of distribution of heavy metals was significant different comparatively
with healhty common bream.
---
In spite of obvious theoretic and practic
significance the investigations of accumulation and distribution of heavy
metals in the fish of the Ob river are carried out insufficiency and do not
correspond to requirements of complete and system monitoring [Nicanorov at al.,
1985]. It is necessary to note that at present only 10 publications are
available, which concern this problem.
The
purpose of this article is generalization of information about content of heavy
metals in fish of the Ob river basin.
During
the 1989-1990 years the content of Hg was determined in the muscles, stomach
and liver of grayling (Tymallus arcticus), taimen (Hucho taimen) and pike (Esox
lucius) in the Katun river (source of the Ob river) [Ostrovsky at al., 1990].
It was established that concentration of Hg in the stomach of this fish species
is more than in muscles. The most concentration of Hg (0.85 mkg/g of wight) was
discovered in the liver.
In
1992 year E. I. Groscheva [1992] measured content of Hg in muscles of grayling,
taimen and perch (Perca fluviatilis), inhabited the Katun river in 15 km higher
settlement the Chemal. The concentration of Hg in these fishes were 0.25, 0.21 and 0.13 mkg/g accordingly.
Thus,
in all sumples of assaed fish in the Katun river the concentration of Hg was
relatively low, and not exceed of maximal permissible concentration (MPC) of Hg
in fresh fish food, which accepted in Russia. For all that, the relative weight
of metilated mercury was 16-35 % of
common quantity of Hg. It is quite clear that this fact is the consequance of
low content in the Katun river (oligotrofic reservoir of Gorni Altai)
bacteriums, which participate in metilation of Hg.
At
the upper part basin of the Ob river the concentration heavy metals in the fish
was studied only in the Tom river. The group of ichtiologists of the Institute
of biology and biophisics of the Tomsk State university leading by professor A.
N. Gundrizer, founded that the Hg, Pb and Cd concentration in muscles of dare
(Leuciscus leuciscus baicalensis) and perch from the Tom river (from suttlement
Atamanovo to mouth) was in 1990 year essential more that MPC. Thus, the content
of Hg et juli – september 1990 was in muscle tissue of perch 1.04–1.57, dare –
0.9-1.02 mkg/g. In 1991 year the concentration of Hg in muscles of these fishes
were normal. The content of Pb in perch
muscles was 9.47mkg/g near settlement Kosulino and 22.17 mkg/g – near the Tomsk
town. Essential increase of Pb concentration was founded in muscles of dare and
perch from the Tom river from Novokusnetsk to Tomsk. High content of Cd was
registrated in 1990-1991yars in muscles of fish from theTom river. However the
most concentration of Cd was in fish near settlements Slavino and Metalloploshadka
(0.18-0.31mkg/g). The concentration of Ni, Mn, Zn in muscular tissue of dare
and perch from the Tom river does not exceed the MPC [Artemуeva
at al., 1992].
That
way, the concentration of Hg, Pb and Cd to a marked degree exceed the MPC is on
the one hand a direct consequens of high content these elements in water and
other hand, it evidence the high capable of fish tissues and organs to accumulate
these elements. The last statement is related not only to fish of the Ob river,
but it is correct for the fish of all reservoirs and concern all heavy metals
[Vetrov at al., 1989; Nukkanov, 1996].
It
is interesting that dare and perch have been accomodated to pollution of the
Tom river. It is known that the deversity and fish number are the integral index
of the prosperity of these hydrobionts [Nikolsky, 1974].
The
content of 18 elements in fish of the Novosibirsk reservoir was studied by A.
N. Petkevitch and coautors in 1962 [Petkevich at al., 1964]. They have shown
that concentration of these elements in muscles, gills, scales and sceleton of
5 fish species (perch, pike, roach (Rutilus rutilus lacustris), common bream
(Abramis brama) and orfe (Leuciscus idus) was comparatively low. In autors
oponion these concentrations are necessary for normal life these fishes.
In
1990 year E. I. Grosheva [1990] published information about Hg and Se content
of common bream in the Lake Baikal and in the Novosibirsk reservoir. Therein,
in 20 common bream specimens from the reservoir, Hg content varied from 0.31 to
0.192 , Se – 0.94-4.55 mkg/g lyophilized mass or 0.062-0.384 and 1.86-9.10
mkg/g raw mass accordingly.
The
results of study content heavy metals in fish of the Novosibirsk reservoir was
publicated by P. A. Popov and coautors [Popov at al., 1995]. The investigation
have been carried out during 1991-1994 years. The concentration of
Cd, Hg, Pb, Co, Cu, Mn, Zn, Fe in muscular tissue 4 fish species – pike-perch (Lucioperca
lucioperca), orfe, perch and common bream was measured. In results, as a rule
the excess over MPC was not found for any of 8 elements studied (Tables 1, 2).
Heavy
metals content of muscular tissue in fish from the Novosibirsk Reservoir, mkg/g
raw tissue
|
Fish species |
Hg
0,5* |
%
Hg org. |
Pb 1,0 |
Cd 0,1 |
Co 0,5 |
Zn 40 |
Cu
10 |
Mn 10 |
Fe 30 |
|
Pike-perch |
0,09
|
79,3 |
0,7 |
<0,1 |
<0,5 |
5,0 |
1,3 |
0,54 |
8,4 |
Perch
|
0,37 |
78,2 |
0,21 |
0,05 |
<0,5 |
5,7 |
3,6 |
1,0 |
3,4 |
|
Common
bream |
0,33 |
85,1 |
0,42 |
<0,1 |
0,02 |
6,3 |
1,2 |
3,3 |
4,3 |
|
Orfe |
0,41 |
92,4 |
0,08 |
0,06 |
0,12 |
6,4 |
1,8 |
0,7 |
1,1 |
*
Maximal permissible concentration of heavy metals in muscular tissue of fresh
fish accepted in Russia.
However,
in 5-10 % of samples the content of Hg, Pb, Cd and Co was equal to MPC or
exceed slyghtly MPC. In all samples 72-92 % of Hg was metilated. It is obvious
that it was conditioned by high concentration bacterium which metilated of Hg.
The analogous data have been received by us in fish of the Ob river directly
down-stream of the dam of the Novosibirsk hydroelectric power station.
|
Fish species |
Hg 0,5* |
%
Hg org. |
Pb 1,0 |
Cd 0,1 |
Co 0,5 |
Zn 40 |
Cu 10 |
Mn 10 |
Fe 30 |
|
Pike-perch |
0,09 |
91,5 |
0,07 |
0,03 |
<0,05 |
6,6 |
<0,5 |
<0,8 |
6,6 |
Perch
|
0,28 |
94,4 |
0,55 |
0,07 |
<0,03 |
27,7 |
<0,5 |
<0,7 |
22,5 |
|
Common
bream |
0,15 |
95,2 |
0,15 |
0,07 |
<0,03 |
5,7 |
<0,6 |
<0,6 |
19,2 |
|
Orfe |
0,32 |
94,4 |
0,28 |
0,07 |
<0,03 |
5,6 |
<0,4 |
<0,8 |
3,8 |
*
See Table 1.
At
1998 we studied the content of heavy metals in healthy common bream and in
that, which was affected by Ligula intestinalis and also in pike-perch from the
Novosibirsk reservoir. It was revealed the complicated character of accumulation
and distribution of heavy metals in fisch organs: muscles, liver, kidney,
spleen, heart, gills and gonades (Table 3). In all examined fish organs predominated
the content of Fe and Zn ( in ovary -
Zn and Fe). After Fe and Zn followed Cu, Mn, Cr ( not always in this range). We
do not observed full concordance between character of distribution of heavy
metals in the same organ of studied fish species and in different organs of
these. However, the interspecies differences was cleary shown. In common bream
was the least concentration of Hg in all organs. In pike-perch the same situation
was observed with Co and Cd.
The
distribution of heavy metals in affected and healthy common bream were different
(Table 3). Particularly the Cr concentration in common bream affected by Ligula
intestinalis exceed over the MPC in 2,3 times, although in healthy fish the
concentration of Cr was normal. It is necessary to note that the availability
of species differences in content and distribution of heavy metals in fish have
been confirmed by some researchers [Gorovay at al., 1983; Mathieson at al.,
1995] and have not been confirmed by others [Petuhov at al., 1983].
We
do not investigated the concrete causes of interspecies differences, but
judjing by publications of other autors (Lukjanenko, 1983; Petuhov at al.,
1983; Alabaster at al., 1984; Bogdanovsky, 1994] these differences are
conditioned by biochemical and phisiological peculiarities of inhabit
conditions of fish.
During
the august-september 1994 and 1999 we studied heavy metals content in the same
fish species in lower flow of the Ob river (from mouth of the Tom river to
settlement Karimkari - 150 km lower
mouth the Irtisch river). As well as the Novosibirsk reservoir we found high
accumulation and complicated character of distribution of heavy metals in fish
organs and analogous species differences. The content of all heavy metals not
exceed the MPS. Only little exceed Fe over MPC was found in muscular tissue of
pike.
Table 3
Distribution heavy metals in
organs common bream and pike-perch from the Novosibirsk reservoir in range of
decreasing of concentration
|
Organs |
Common bream |
Common bream affected L.
intestinalis |
Pike-perch |
|
Muscles |
Fe>Zn>Cu>Mn>Ni>Hg>Cd=Co>Cr>Pb |
Zn>Fe=Cu>Mn>Cr>Ni>Pb>
Hg>Co>Cd |
Fe>Zn>Cu>Mn>Cr>Pb>Ni>Hg>Co>Cd |
|
Liver |
Fe>Zn>Cu>Mn>Cd>Cr>Ni>Co>Pb>Hg |
Fe>Zn>Cu>Mn>Cr>Cd>Ni>Co>Pb>Hg |
Fe>Zn>Cu>Mn>Cr>
Ni>Pb>Hg>Co>Cd |
|
Kidneys |
Fe>Zn>Cu>Mn>Cr>Cd>Ni>Co>Pb>Hg |
Fe>Zn>Cu=Mn>Cd>Cr>Ni=Co>Pb>Hg |
- |
|
Heart |
Fe>Zn>Cu>Mn>Cr=Co>Cd>Ni>Pb>Hg |
Fe>Zn>Cu>Mn>Cr>Pb>Ni>Co=Cd>Hg |
Fe>Zn>Cu>Cr=Mn>Ni>Hg>Co=Pb>Cd |
|
Spleen |
Fe>Zn>Mn>Cu>Cr>Cd>Pb>Ni>Co>Hg |
Fe>Zn>Cu>Mn>Cr>Ni>Pb>Co>Cd>Hg |
Fe>Zn>Cu>Ni>Cr>Mn>Hg>Pb>Co>Cd |
|
Ovary |
Zn>Fe>Mn>Cu>Cd=Ni>Cr>Co>Pb>Hg |
- |
Zn>Fe>Mn>Cr>Cu>Ni>Hg>Pb=Co>Cd |
|
Gills |
Fe>Zn=Mn>Cu>Cr>Cd>Pb>Ni>Co>Hg |
Fe>Zn>Mn>Cu>Cr>Cd>Ni>Co>Pb>Hg |
Fe>Zn>Mn>Cu>Cr> Ni>Hg>Co>Pb>Cd |
In
conclusion, the investigation of the heavy metals content in fish of the Ob
river basin must continue. For all that is required to increase the number of
studied fish species and places of analysis. It is necessary to
include in zone of monitoring the basin of Irtisch river, which is main tributary
of the Ob river. At present have not any data about the above problems in application to
this river. At the same time it is known that the heavy metals concentration
in water of the Irtisch river is more exceed over MPC.