CADMIUM, COPPER AND ZINC IN OCTOPUSES FROM KERGUELEN ISLANDS, SOUTHERN INDIAN-OCEAN

Concentrations of cadmium, copper and zinc were measured in 34 octopus es over a large range of size and weight, caught in the Kerguelen shel f waters. Compared with levels normally encountered in European cephal opods, Cd concentrations in both species were very high: 30.7-47.1 and 27.3-54.4 mu g/g dry weight in Glaneledone sp. and Benthoctopus thiel ei, respectively; Cu concentrations were generally low while Zn concen trations exhibited similar levels. Distribution of Cd in tissues showe d that the high levels of Cd in Kerguelen octopuses resulted from very high levels of the metal in the digestive gland (369 and 215 mu g/g d ry wt in Graneledone sp. and Benthoctopus thielei, respectively). The digestive gland accumulated about 90% of the total Cd in the whole ani mal. Due to the very high concentrations of Cd in the Kerguelen octopu ses, we hypothesize that these species play an important role in the p rocess of Cd transfer throughout the food chain to top vertebrate pred ators in this area.