Comparison of Zn, Cu, Pb, Ni, Cr, Sn, Mo Concentrations in Tissues of Fish (Roach and Perch) from Lake Baikal and Bratsk reservoir, Russia

Abstract

Data on Zn, Cu, Pb, Ni, Cr, Sn, Mo concentrations in some food fish in Baikal Lake and Bratsk reservoir have been compared. The muscles, skin and gills of roach and perch (Rutilus rutilus and Perca fluviatis L.) were analysed. The conditions of atomic-emission analysis, detection limits, reproducibility, coefficients of transformation from the wet to dry mass and to an ash residue are reported. To verify accuracy, the results of reference samples OK-1 (Baikal perch) and OM-1 (Baikal roach) were used along with atomic-absorption and neutron-activation results of ashed and dried samples. The observed range of concentrations in tissues exceeds the probable analytical errors and reflects natural variability. The content of Zn, Cu, Pb, Ni and Cr in tissues of fish collected in the Bratsk reservoir from the conventionally uncontaminated and polluted sites correspond to the concentrations in tissues of similar fish from Lake Baikal. The latter are normal for fish of weakly mineralised oligotrophic reservoirs. The ranges of concentration in studied fish (roach and perch) consist of mg kg⁻¹ dry wt: in muscles-Zn(14–28), Cu(2.2–4.7), Pb(0.30–0.61); in skin-Zn(94–119), Cu(1.2–1.4), Pb(0.16–0.08); in gills-Zn(70–280), Cu(2.0–7.4), Pb(0.19–1.2).