Study on the heavy metal bioconcentrations of the Shadegan international wetland mosquitofish, Gambusia affinis, by inductively coupled plasma technique

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the levels of heavy metal bioconcentration of the mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis) in Shadegan international wetland. Sampling including the water, waterbed sediment and mosquitofish was carried out from the selected sampling sites during October and November 2011, and analyzed by the ICP-OES. Results show that the water has poor qualitative condition, according to EPA and WHO water quality standards. The level of the water Cr in the selected sites in both months and the levels of Fe, Mn and Zn during October in the SW1 site were higher than the instrumental detection limits indicating that the water was contaminated with these metals in the mentioned sites and months. The levels of the waterbed sediment As, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Pb and Zn, and mosquitofish Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Zn, Co and Cd were much higher than the instrumental detection limits, indicating that the waterbed sediment and mosquitofish were contaminated with them during October and November in the selected sites. Statistical assessments reveal that there is a significant difference between the mentioned contaminated water, waterbed sediment and mosquitofish heavy metals (all P-values < 0.05). In overall, it is considered that the contaminated heavy metals can be accumulated in the waterbed sediment and bioconcentrated in the wildlife tissues, then finally can be entered in the marine food chains and biomagnified there after long periods. In conclusion, this paper confirmed that the G. affinis can be used as a bioindicator of heavy metal pollution in marine ecosystems such as wetlands.