METALS IN SPOTTED SEATROUT (CYNOSCION NEBULOSUS) COLLECTED FROM THE ASHLEY RIVER, CHARLESTON, SC

摘要

Heavy metals can contaminate a river from multiple sources and are distributed among the water column, sediment, and biota. Metal concentrations in fish tissues can represent the combined accumulation from water, sediment, and food. Spotted seatrout (Cynoscion nebulosus) is one of the top five recreational fish caught in South Carolina. So, metals in seatrout tissues can be used to examine health of fish (liver) and risks to human beings from consuming fillets. Arsenic, Cd, Cu, Hg, Ni, and Pb were analyzed in liver and fillet sample from seatrout. None of the metals were detected in liver samples. Only Hg and As were detected consistently in fillets. The average (± standard error) concentrations in fillets for Hg and As were 0.63 ± 0.0933 μg/g and 1.79 ± 0.079 μg/g, respectively. The Hg and As concentrations were significantly above the recommended screening values that could indicate risk to humans eating the fish.