Abstract

CASTILLO, Isabel; ACOSTA, Vanesa; MARTINEZ, Gregorio  and  NUNEZ, Maximiano. Niveles de metales pesados en gónadas y músculo aductor del mejillón marrón, Perna perna, cultivado en la ensenada de Turpialito, Golfo de Cariaco, estado Sucre, Venezuela. Zootecnia Trop. [online]. 2005, vol.23, n.2, pp.141-154. ISSN 0798-7269.

The concentrations of heavy metals (Cu, Cr, Fe, Pb, Zn, Cd, Ni, and Mn) were compared in gonad and abductor muscle of brown mussel (Perna perna) at commercial size (74.02 ± 23.05 mm) cultivated in the Turpialito Bay (Gulf of Cariaco, Sucre state, Venezuela), with the purpose to determine the capacity to accumulate heavy metals and to verify if these organisms are suitable for human consumption. These metals in each tissue were analyzed by atomic absorption spectrometry. The essential metals were accumulated in more proportion than the no essentials, in the gonad (Zn > Fe > Cu > Ni > Cr > Cd > Pb > Mn), as in the muscle (Zn > Fe > Cr > Cu > Pb > Cd > Ni). The metals Cr and Ni presented high concentration values, exceeding the established standard levels. This could be probably related with the polluting effect of industrial drains of the areas nearby, suggesting this that the presence of metals becomes more evident due to the systems of currents and upwelling that take place in the Gulf of Cariaco.

Keywords : Bioaccumulation; mussel; heavy metals; Gulf of Cariaco.