Heavy metals and organochlorinated compounds in the European eel (Anguilla anguilla) from the Adour estuary and associated wetlands (France)

Type Article
Date 2011-05
Language English
Author(s) Tabouret H.1, 2, Bareille G.1, Mestrot A.1, Caill-Milly NathalieORCID2, Budzinski H.3, Peluhet L.3, Prouzet Patrick2, Donard O. F. X.1
Affiliation(s) 1 : Univ Pau & Pays Adour, Lab Chim Analyt Bioorgan & Environm, IPREM UMR CNRS 5254, F-64053 Pau 9, France.
2 : UFR Cote Basque, IFREMER Lab Ressources Halieut Aquitaine, F-64600 Anglet, France.
3 : Univ Bordeaux 1, CNRS, Lab Physico & Toxicochim Environm LPTC, EPOC UMR 5805, F-33405 Talence, France.
Source Journal Of Environmental Monitoring (1464-0325) (Royal Soc Chemistry), 2011-05 , Vol. 13 , N. 5 , P. 1446-1456
DOI 10.1039/c0em00684j
WOS© Times Cited 14
Abstract Heavy metals and organic pollutants were investigated in the Adour estuary (South West France) and associated wetlands using the European eel (Anguilla anguilla) as a bioindicator. Heavy metals (Cu, Cd, Zn, Pb, and Ag) were measured in soft tissue of yellow eels. Mercury (total Hg and MeHg) and organochlorinated compounds (7 PCBs, 11 OCPs) were analysed in muscle. Concentrations in muscle were in agreement with moderately contaminated environments in Europe and were below the norms fixed for eel consumption for heavy metals and OCPs. Analyses of liver showed a higher pressure of Ag and Zn in the downstream estuary than in the freshwater sites whereas Cd was lower in the estuary probably because of the salinity influence. According to quality classes 100% of eels from freshwater sites indicated clean or slightly polluted environments. However, total mercury concentrations were close to the thresholds fixed by the European Community in the downstream estuary, whereas the sum of PCBs was found to be greatly above the fixed value. 100% of the individuals from the estuary were classified in quality classes corresponding to polluted or highly polluted sites. These first results highlight the need of further investigations focused on mercury and PCBs in this area taking the seasonal temperature influence into account for a better understanding of the pollution distribution and the possible threat on the eel population from the Adour basin.
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Tabouret H., Bareille G., Mestrot A., Caill-Milly Nathalie, Budzinski H., Peluhet L., Prouzet Patrick, Donard O. F. X. (2011). Heavy metals and organochlorinated compounds in the European eel (Anguilla anguilla) from the Adour estuary and associated wetlands (France). Journal Of Environmental Monitoring, 13(5), 1446-1456. Publisher's official version : https://doi.org/10.1039/c0em00684j , Open Access version : https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00036/14677/