The cumulation of chromium and arsenic species in fish (Poecilia reticulata).

Chromium-51 and arsenic-74 were used for the investigation of the uptake and the release of different chromium and arsenic species in fish. It has been found that only trimethylarsine can be rapidly taken up directly from water. The release of chromium(III), consumed by fish in food, is very rapid: about 99.9% of chromium is released within a few days. The same results were obtained with chromium(III) acetylacetonate or chromium(III) ethylenediaminotetraacetate. About 95% of arsenic acid, methylarsonic acid, dimethylarsinic acid or arsenic(III) diethyldithiocarbamate are released within a few days whereas the remaining arsenic is released with the biological half time 35 +/- 5 days.