Metal concentrations in fish tissues in the Kara, Bolshoi Patok, and Maly Patok River basins, North-Eastern European Russia

Abstract

Abstract Fish and fish tissue are effective bioindicators due to their sensitivity to pollution and are frequently used for assessing aquatic ecosystem health. Establishing baseline metal concentrations in freshwater fish tissues within aquatic ecosystems is important prior to establishing industrial activities to help determine potential future industrial impacts. Historically, North-Eastern European Russia has been an area with relatively low levels of industrial development and is still in pristine condition. In this region the noise to background ratio for industrial contaminants may be disproportionately high. This study measured baseline metal concentrations in freshwater fish tissues collected from three study sites (Bolshoi Patok, Maly Patok and Kara River) in North-Eastern European Russia as bioindicators for overall aquatic ecosystem health. Seven fish species including European Grayling, Arctic Char, Whitefish, Perch, Pike, Roach, and Peled over a five-year period between 2000 to 2005. Fish tissue samples were analyzed for Copper (Cu), Lead (Pb), Cadmium (Cd), and Zinc (Zn) metal concentrations. Metal concentrations measured in fish tissues in this study compared favourably to remote sites in Alaska in the US and Slovenia. Despite small variation between sampling sites, metal concentrations were relatively low and considered in pristine condition. Metal concentrations measured in fish tissues in this study represent baseline conditions which will be important to compare against using monitoring programs should the region experience future industrial development.