Abstract
The metal content of bryophytes (Fontinalis antipyretica), invertebrates (Asellus aquaticus, Sialis lutaria, Libellulidae) and fish (Perca fluviatilis, Esux lucius) was measured along an aquatic concentration gradient of Zn, Cu, Cd, Pb, As, Hg, generated by air emissions from the Rönnskär smelters. The separation of pH effects on metal uptake, was facilitated by metal and pH vectors being mostly well separated from each others. The interpretation was facilitated by seasonal small variations in water metal content, which improved the calculation of bioconcentration factors (BCF) as a strict measure of bioavailability. It was found that BCF varied as function of element and taxon. When pH decreased, BCF also did so for Zn, Cd, Ni, Co in bryophytes, while BCF increased for Pb, Cu in in fish. We conclude and agree that one-sided focusing on total concentrations may overlook shifts in speciation due to pH in moderately acidified waters for elements like Cu and Pb.
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Lithner, G., Holm, K. & Borg, H. Bioconcentration factors for metals in humic waters at different pH in the Rönnskär area (N. Sweden). Water Air Soil Pollut 85, 785–790 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00476925
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00476925