Heavy Metal Contaminants in the Sciaenids from Lake Sabine
Abstract
Lake Sabine is a shallow, estuarine lake situated on the border between Texas and Louisiana with outflow to the Gulf of Mexico. The Louisiana side is a protected natural area while the Texas side is susceptible to pollution from several commercial industries as well as maintenance dredging. This study determined the concentrations of metal(loids) within commercially and economically important fish tissues and compared them intra- and inter-specifically using known diets and a range of sizes. Specimens were collected from Lake Sabine from April through October 2018 from four sciaenid fishes: Atlantic Croaker Micropogonias undulatus, Red Drum Sciaenops ocellatus, Black Drum Pogonias cromis, and Spotted Seatrout Cynoscion nebulosus. Skeletal muscle and liver tissues were tested for 16 metal(loids) using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). When comparing metal concentrations within liver tissue among the species, there was a statistically significant difference for arsenic (P=0.002), cadmium (P=0.009), cobalt (P=0.02), chromium (P=0.01), copper (P=0.01), iron (P=0.006), lead (Pb; P=0.0009), selenium (Se; P=0.008), tin (P=0.002), vanadium (V; P=0.0006), and zinc (P=0.02). Total mercury was significantly different (P=0.02) among muscle samples for the four species. In addition, there was a positive correlation between fish length and concentration for Pb in M. undulatus liver tissue, and C. nebulosus was positively correlated between fish length and concentration for Se in liver tissue and V in muscle tissue. Due to Lake Sabine’s economically important recreational fishery, it is important to investigate the different environmental impacts to preserve a sustainable fishery and address human health concerns.
Faculty Sponsors
Dr. David Kerstetter, Dr. Amy C. Hirons, Dr. Dimitrios Giarikos
Project Type
Event
Location
Alvin Sherman Library
Start Date
4-6-2022 12:00 PM
End Date
4-7-2022 5:00 PM
Heavy Metal Contaminants in the Sciaenids from Lake Sabine
Alvin Sherman Library
Lake Sabine is a shallow, estuarine lake situated on the border between Texas and Louisiana with outflow to the Gulf of Mexico. The Louisiana side is a protected natural area while the Texas side is susceptible to pollution from several commercial industries as well as maintenance dredging. This study determined the concentrations of metal(loids) within commercially and economically important fish tissues and compared them intra- and inter-specifically using known diets and a range of sizes. Specimens were collected from Lake Sabine from April through October 2018 from four sciaenid fishes: Atlantic Croaker Micropogonias undulatus, Red Drum Sciaenops ocellatus, Black Drum Pogonias cromis, and Spotted Seatrout Cynoscion nebulosus. Skeletal muscle and liver tissues were tested for 16 metal(loids) using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). When comparing metal concentrations within liver tissue among the species, there was a statistically significant difference for arsenic (P=0.002), cadmium (P=0.009), cobalt (P=0.02), chromium (P=0.01), copper (P=0.01), iron (P=0.006), lead (Pb; P=0.0009), selenium (Se; P=0.008), tin (P=0.002), vanadium (V; P=0.0006), and zinc (P=0.02). Total mercury was significantly different (P=0.02) among muscle samples for the four species. In addition, there was a positive correlation between fish length and concentration for Pb in M. undulatus liver tissue, and C. nebulosus was positively correlated between fish length and concentration for Se in liver tissue and V in muscle tissue. Due to Lake Sabine’s economically important recreational fishery, it is important to investigate the different environmental impacts to preserve a sustainable fishery and address human health concerns.
