PB IN OTOLITHS AND OPERCULA OF ARCTIC CHAR (SALVELINUS-ALPINUS) FROM OLIGOTROPHIC LAKES

We investigated the concentrations of Pb ([Pb]) in calcified tissues ( opercula and otoliths) of Arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus) from oligot rophic lakes. Fish were collected from 5 Alpine lakes in Northern Tyro l, Austria, spanning wide ranges in altitude and physicochemical water characteristics. In both opercula and otoliths [Pb] correlated signif icantly positive with the age of fish. In the opercula [Pb] correlated negatively with alkalinity, Ca concentration and pH of the lakes, the reby reflecting an increased uptake of the metal in low-alkalinity wat ers. However, [Ph] in otoliths did not correlate with any of these wat er characteristics. The tissue-specific differences in the accumulatio n of ph indicate different metabolic pathways for Pb incorporation int o otoliths and opercula in Arctic char. Copyright (C) 1996 Elsevier Sc ience Ltd