The concentration of metals in the northern Adriatic anchovy (Engraulis encrasicholus) and the sardine (Sardina pilchardus) from the northern Adriatic Sea, Croatia

Full description

Northern Adriatic anchovies (Engraulis encrasicholus) and the sardine (Sardina pilchardus), were sampled from catches landed at the Mirna Cannery in Rovinj, Yugoslavia (now Croatia), during the 1972 fishing season (June to December) and part of the 1973 fishing season (March to June).Fish were usually caught using night light and purse seine 12-18 hours earlier, within 15-30 km of Rovinj. Each sample consisted of a minimum of six and up to sixty specimens of each species. The standard length and weight of each fish was measured. Fish were then dissected into component parts: skin (including scales), gills, muscle, digestive tract, liver, kidney, gonads and brain. For each species, these components were then pooled according to type, weighed, dried to a constant weight at 110°C, ground to homogeneous meal in a porcelain mortar, and stored in a glass desiccator until analyzed.After further processing, samples were analysed for mercury, copper, nickel, silver, cadmium and lead using a Perkin-Elmer 303 atomic absorption spectrophotometer.
This study was initiated to gather baseline information on the levels of mercury, copper, nickel, silver, cadmium and lead in different tissues of the sardine, Sardina pilchardus, and the anchovy, Engraulis encrasicholus, harvested from the northern Adriatic Sea. Seasonal variation in levels of these metals was also investigated.
At the time that this research was carried out, the shallow northern region of the Adriatic Sea received industrial wastes from large industrial centers located along the eastern coast at Rijeka and Pula, Yugoslavia (now Croatia), and more extensive industrial concentrations on the Gulf of Trieste and the western coast near Venice, Italy. The Reno, Po, Adige, and Isonzo rivers also discharged their industrial pollutant loads into the northern Adriatic.

Lineage

Maintenance and Update Frequency: notPlanned

Statement: Statement: Methods:Standard chemical procedures (Christian and Feldman 1970; Fletcher 1970; Uthe et al. 1970; Stainton 1971) as modified by Knauer and Martin (1972) were used and are described in the publication: Gilmartin M and Revelante N (1975) The concentration of mercury, copper, nickel, silver, cadmium and lead in the northern Adriatic anchovy (Engraulis encrasicholus) and sardine (Sardina pilchardus). Fishery Bulletin 73: 193-201.Christian GD, Feldman FJ (1970) Atomic absorption spectroscopy; applications in agriculture, biology, and medicine. Wiley-Interscience, NY, 490p.Fletcher K (1970) Some applications of background correction to trace metal analysis of geochemical samples by atomicabsorption spectrophotometry. Econ. Geol. 65:588-589.Knauer GA, Martin JH (1972) Mercury in a marine pelagic food chain. Limnol. Oceanogr. 17:868-876.Stainton MP (1971) Syringe procedure for transfer of nanogram quantities of mercury vapor for flameless atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Anal. Chem. 43:625-627.Uthe J F, Armstrong FAJ, Stainton MP (1970) Mercury determination in fish samples by wet digestion and flameless atomic absorption spectrophotometry. J. Fish. Res. Board Can. 27:805-811.Calibration:During the analyses, aliquots of National Bureau of Standards Orchard Leaves No. 1571 were routinely analyzed for each element.

Notes

Credit
Gilmartin, Malvern, Dr (Principal Investigator)