Metal and metallothionein levels in zoopankton in relation to environmental exposure: spatial and temporal variability (Saronikos Gulf, Greece)

Articulo Científico

Inglés. Metal and metallothionein (MT) in mixed zooplankton were investigated as means of monitoring metal availability regardingenvironmental exposure. Spatial and temporal variability of Cd, Cu, Ni, Zn, Fe, Mn and Pb in zooplankton and seawater werestudied in Saronikos Gulf (Aegean Sea, Eastern Mediterranean), once every second month during an annual cycle (2011–2012).Particulate organic carbon and chlorophyll α were also measured in seawater samples. Median zooplankton metal concentrationswere 0.65, 32.4, 7.1, 864, 1420, 40.2 and 26.8 μg g-1 dw for Cd, Cu, Ni, Zn, Fe, Mn and Pb, respectively, and 109 μg g-1 ww for MTs. Metal levels in zooplankton and MTs were higher at sites influenced by human-derived pressures. Additionally, metal concentrations in pelagic fish flesh from the Greek MED-POL data base were used for bioconcentration and biomagnification factors calculation. Bioconcentration from water to zooplankton was higher than metal transfer from either seston to zooplankton or zooplankton to fish.

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