Micheli da Silva Ferreira

Distribuição do metal mercúrio em atum (Thunnus albacares) e pescada bicuda (Cynoscion microlepidotus) capturados no litoral do Rio de Janeiro, Brasil

The mercuric kinetic in organs, muscular tissue, and stomach contents of two species of marine fish predators was evaluated by the identification of the places showing higher accumulation of the metal. For the analytical process, the used technique was cold vapor atomic absorption spectrometry. The results demonstrated that the distribution of Hg in the analyzed portions presented wiede dispersion. For Thunnus albacares, the variation was of 0.004µg.g-1 in the liver, gills and spleen, and 0.172µg.g-1 in the muscular tissue. For Cynoscion microlepidotus, the variation was between 0.013µg.g-1 in gills and 0.250µg.g-1 in muscular tissue. The latter was the portion of higher concentration of this metal in both species, T. albacares = 0.080±0.050µg.g-1 and C. microlepidotus = 0.187±0.030µg.g-1, while less concentrations were found in the gills (0.029±0.031µg.g-1) in C. microlepidotus and in the eyes (0.013±0.008µg.g-1) in T. albacares.

Contaminação por metais traço em mexilhões Perna perna da costa brasileira

Trace elements are considered toxic in high levels for human and animal organisms. In aquatic environment, some elements can form organic compounds and tend to bioaccumulate in organisms tissues. Bivalve mollusks participate on the metallic contaminants dynamics in aquatic environment due to capacity in concentrate trace elements in their soft tissues in higher levels than in water. Mussels are mollusks widely used as bioindicators of trace metal pollution in coastal areas because they can accumulate various elements as filter-feeders. In Brazil, Perna perna is one of the most commonly consumed bivalve mollusks and the most cultivated in coast regions. Therefore, the consumption of mussels may be a potential risk for human health, which enhances the importance to know trace metal levels in environment that provides food to humans. Due to constantly search for environmental quality and the use of mussels as food and often employed to monitor metal pollution in sea, it is of great interest and importance an overview of metallic contamination in national territory to assist in prevention of intoxication by trace elements.