comparative baseline levels of heavy metals and histopathological notes in fish fromtwo coastal ecosystems of south-west of spain

this work reports the comparative study of heavy metal water concentrations fromtwo coastal ecosystems ofcadizgulf (swspain): bay of cadiz and ria ofhuelva estuary in samplestaken on years 1999-2000. sampling zones showed different heavymetal levels. statistical analysisof dissolved trace metal concentrations (cu, zn, cd and pb) showed significant differences betweenhuelva and cadiz zones based on the cu level, with a marked seasonal factor and different metalsources (industrial, geological, urban,...), observing a higher cu concentration in ria de huelvarespect to bay of cadiz. on the other hand, to evaluate the pollutant effects on aquatic biota, ahistopathological analysis have been conducted in specimens of flat fish, solea senegalensis fromboth zones. lesions weremore severe in fish fromria ofhuelva, being themost significant alterations:gill hyperplasia, fusion of secondary lamellae, disorganization of the hepatic parenchyma, cellularhypertrophy and vascular congestion in liver and tubular occlusion, loss of interstitial tissue andlipid-like vacuoles in kidney. obtained results are useful as reference data for future environmentalmonitoring studies in these zones where to establish a heavy metal concentration temporal trendwould be necessary.