University of Coimbra, Marine and Environmental Research Centre (MARE)/ Aquatic Research Network (ARNET), Department of Life Sciences, 3000-456, Coimbra, Portugal; British Antarctic Survey (BAS), Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), High Cross, Madingley Road, CB3 0ET, Cambridge, United Kingdom.
University of Coimbra, Marine and Environmental Research Centre (MARE)/ Aquatic Research Network (ARNET), Department of Life Sciences, 3000-456, Coimbra, Portugal.
Chemosphere. 2023 Apr;321:138134. doi: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.138134. Epub 2023 Feb 11.
The Antarctic toothfish Dissostichus mawsoni is a Southern Ocean long-lived top predator which is regularly captured on an annual fishery operating in the region. By its biological and ecological characteristics, it is a potential bioindicator for the concentrations of trace and rare earth elements in the Antarctic. As these elements are mainly transferred through the diet and a deficiency or excess of these elements can lead to diverse health problems, it is important to measure their concentrations on the organisms. This study provides, for the first time, the concentration of 27 trace (major essential, minor essential and non-essential) and rare earth elements in the muscle of D. mawsoni captured in three areas of the Amundsen and Dumont D'Urville Seas (Antarctica). Major essential elements had the highest concentrations, with potassium (K) as the most concentrated, and rare earth elements the lowest. Significant differences between areas were found for most of the studied elements. No bioaccumulation nor biomagnification potential was found for the studied elements, with several elements decreasing concentrations towards larger individuals. Decreasing trends are related with the different habitats occupied by D. mawsoni through their life, suggesting that elements' concentrations in the water is determinant for the concentrations in this top predator, and/or there is a dilution effect as the fish grows. Our results also support that Se presents a detoxification potential for Hg in D. mawsoni, but only when Hg concentrations are higher to unhealthy levels. This study supports D. mawsoni as a potential bioindicator for the concentrations of the different trace and rare earth elements in the Southern Ocean, though only when comparing individuals of similar size/age, but also to evaluate annual changes on their concentrations. Furthermore, D. mawsoni can be a good source of major essential elements to humans with concentrations of major essential elements above some of other marine fish worldwide.
南极齿鱼 Dissostichus mawsoni 是一种南大洋长寿命的顶级掠食者，每年在该地区都会进行渔业捕捞。根据其生物和生态特征，它是南极痕量和稀土元素浓度的潜在生物指标。由于这些元素主要通过饮食传递，而且这些元素的缺乏或过量会导致各种健康问题，因此测量生物体中的浓度非常重要。本研究首次提供了在南极洲阿蒙森海和杜邦德厄维尔海三个区域捕获的南极齿鱼肌肉中 27 种痕量（主要必需、次要必需和非必需）和稀土元素的浓度。主要必需元素的浓度最高，其中钾 (K) 的浓度最高，而稀土元素的浓度最低。在所研究的元素中，大多数元素在不同区域之间存在显著差异。研究元素没有发现生物积累或生物放大的潜力，随着个体的增大，一些元素的浓度降低。这种下降趋势与南极齿鱼在其生命过程中所占据的不同栖息地有关，这表明水体内元素的浓度决定了这种顶级掠食者体内的浓度，以及/或者随着鱼的生长存在稀释效应。我们的研究结果还支持硒对南极齿鱼体内汞具有解毒潜力，但仅当汞浓度高于不健康水平时才会如此。本研究支持南极齿鱼作为南大洋不同痕量和稀土元素浓度的潜在生物指标，尽管仅在比较相似大小/年龄的个体时如此，但也可以评估其浓度的年度变化。此外，南极齿鱼可以成为人类获取主要必需元素的良好来源，其主要必需元素的浓度高于世界上一些其他海洋鱼类。
