HEAVY-METALS IN ANTARCTIC ORGANISMS

To evaluate levels of essential (zinc and copper) and non-essential (m ercury and cadmium) heavy metals, 34 species of organisms from differe nt areas close to the Antarctic Peninsula were analysed. These include d algae, filter-feeders, omnivorous invertebrates and vertebrates. Mer cury was not detected, while cadmium was found in the majority of orga nisms analysed (detection limit was 0.05 ppm for both metals). The hig hest cadmium concentration was observed in the starfish Odontaster val idus. Anthozoans, sipunculids and nudibranchs showed maximum levels of zinc, while the highest copper level was found in the gastropod Troph on brevispira. Mercury and cadmium levels in fishes were below the det ection limit. Concentrations of essential and non-essential metals in birds were highest in liver followed by muscle and eggs. Cadmium and m ercury levels in muscle of southern elephant seals were above the dete ction limit, whereas in Antarctic fur seals they were below it. The ob jective of the study was to gather baseline information for metals in Antarctic Ocean biota that may be needed to detect, measure and monito r future environmental changes.