Distribution and Relationships of Eleven Trace Elements in Muscle of Six Fish Species from Skadar Lake (Montenegro)

Özet

Concentrations of eleven trace elements (Zn, Mn, Cu, Fe, Cr, Ni, Co, Hg, Pb, Cd and As) as well as the principalcomponents of fish flesh (water%, dry matter%, fat%, protein%, ash% and Ca and Mg concentration) were determined inmuscles of six fish species (Scardinus knezevici, Alburnus scoranza, Cyprinus carpio, Rutilus prespensis, Anguilla anguillaand Perca fluviatilis) collected from Skadar Lake in 2016. This study, being the first of its kind in fish from Montenegrinlakes, gave the following overall ranking of the investigated elements in fish muscle: Zn > Fe > Mn > Cu > Hg > Cr > As > Ni> Pb > Cd. Several significant inter-metal correlations were observed, while significant relationships between metalconcentrations and fish age and size were established predominantly for essential elements. Significant inter-speciesdifferences in accumulation of analyzed trace elements were confirmed for Zn, Mn, Fe and As. The total metal accumulationwas the highest in roach and the lowest in perch, while European eel was found to accumulate more arsenic than other fishspecies. The consumption of fish from Skadar Lake doesn’t pose a risk to human health.