Concentrations of trace elements in Great Lakes fishes

Journal of the Fisheries Research Board of Canada
By: , and 

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Abstract

The concentration of 15 trace elements was determined by activation analysis of samples of whole fish and fish livers from three of the Great Lakes: Michigan, Superior, and Erie. The average concentrations of 7 elements in 19 whole fish from 3 species were as follows: uranium, 3ppb (parts per billion); thorium, 6ppb; cobalt, 28ppb; cadmium, 94ppb; arsenic, 16ppb; chromium, 1ppm; and copper, 1.3ppm. The average concentrations of 8 elements in 40 liver samples from 10 species of fish were as follows: uranium, 2ppb; thorium, 2ppb; cobalt, 40ppb; copper, 9ppm; zinc, 30ppm; bromine, 0.4ppm; arsenic, 30ppb; and cadmium, 0.4ppm. Other elements observed in most of the samples were: antimony, 5100ppb; gold, 25ppb; lanthanum, 120ppb; rhenium, 0.55ppb; rubidium, 0.064ppm; and selenium, 0.12ppb.Trace element concentrations varied with species and lake. Uranium and thorium varied with species, but not for the same species from different lakes. The levels of copper, cobalt, zinc, and bromine varied little between species and lakes. The concentration of cadmium, arsenic, and chromium varied between species and with species between lakes.

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Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title Concentrations of trace elements in Great Lakes fishes
Series title Journal of the Fisheries Research Board of Canada
DOI 10.1139/f70-072
Volume 27
Issue 4
Year Published 1970
Language English
Publisher NRC Research Press
Contributing office(s) Great Lakes Science Center
Description 8 p.
First page 677
Last page 684
Country Canada, United States
Other Geospatial Great Lakes
Online Only (Y/N) N
Additional Online Files (Y/N) N
Google Analytic Metrics Metrics page
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