Organochlorine and metal accumulation in fish (Phoxinus phoxinus) along a north-south transect in the Alps

Citation
R. Hofer et al., Organochlorine and metal accumulation in fish (Phoxinus phoxinus) along a north-south transect in the Alps, WATER A S P, 125(1-4), 2001, pp. 189-200
Citations number
15
Language
INGLESE
art.tipo
Article
Categorie Soggetti
Environment/Ecology
Journal title
WATER AIR AND SOIL POLLUTION
ISSN journal
0049-6979 → ACNP
Volume
125
Issue
1-4
Year of publication
2001
Pages
189 - 200
Database
ISI
SICI code
0049-6979(200101)125:1-4<189:OAMAIF>2.0.ZU;2-D
Abstract
Southern populations of the European minnow from remote oligotrophic mounta in lakes along an Alpine north-south transect accumulated more p,p' DDE and PCBs than northern populations. As these semi-volatile organochlorines pre dominantly evaporate in warm countries, higher rates of condensation (depos ition) are assumed to occur in the southern slopes of the Alps. The higher accumulation of lead and cadmium in southern population is rather attribute d to geogenic and specific environmental impacts than to atmospheric deposi tion. Increasing liver ratios of [glutathione disulfide]/[glutathione], a p otential indicator for oxidative stress, from north to south reflect the ge nerally higher toxic load at remote sites at the southern edge of the Alps. However, histopathological changes in the liver did not correlate with acc umulated toxicants indicating that deposition does not lead to severe lesio ns but induces specific mechanisms for detoxification.