Determination of bioaccumulation factor in fish exposure to iron and lead

Abstract

Metals input in aquatic environments affects the life of the organisms. Fish possess a good capacity to accumulate metals, or to have its metabolism modified when displayed to these compounds. Aquatic humic substance (AHS) possesses high complexation capacity of metals, being that some authors had demonstrated that with the presence of AHS occurs a decrease in the metals accumulation for aquatic organisms. However other authors had found behavior opposing. In the present work will be carried through experiments displaying Tilápias fish to concentrations known of Pb and Fe and AHS extracted from water sample collected in the Municipal Dam of São José do Rio Preto (Preto River). AHS will be extracted using the method suggested by International Humic Substance Society (IHSS). One experiment will be prepared with only water collected form Preto river. For each experiment will be quantified nitrate, ammonia, total organic carbon, pH, conductivity, sulphate, P, turbidity, temperature and dissolved oxygen, such as the concentration of total Pb and Fe. In all the fish samples, as well as in the water of the exposition experiments will be carried through the quantification of the total metal supply using a Grafite Furnice Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (GFAAS) or for Flame (FAAS). With these data it could be calculated the bioaccumulation factor and paper of AHS in the metal bioaccumulation for fish. (AU)