BIOLOGIYA MORYA, 2015, Vol. 41, No. 6, pp. 447-452

Heavy metal and arsenic content in the pink salmon Oncorhynchus gorbuscha Walbaum, 1792 from Kuril oceanic waters during anadromous migration

© 2015 N. K. Khristoforova^1,2, V. Yu. Tsygankov¹, M. D. Boyarova¹, O. M. Lukyanova^1,3

¹Far Eastern Federal University, Vladivostok 690091;
²Pacific Institute of Geography, Far Eastern Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, Vladivostok 690041;
³Pacific Research Fisheries Center, Vladivostok 690091

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The content of elements Hg, As, Pb, Cd, Zn, and Cu, in the most common species of Pacific salmons, pink salmon, caught in early July 2012 and 2013 in the vicinity of Kuril Islands was examined. It was found that the content of toxic elements, Cd, Pb, As and Hg, in the salmon is below human health consumption guidelines of sanitary standards and regulations of the Russian Federation for seafood. The content of all the elements (except zinc) in pink salmon from the geochemically extreme Kuril area was higher than that in pink salmon from the Sea of Japan. The greatest difference was recorded for lead, which concentration in organs and tissues (liver, gonads, muscle) of fishes from Kuril oceanic waters was 15-45 times higher than that of pink salmon from the Sea of Japan.

Key words: Pacific salmons, pink salmon, Kuril oceanic waters, heavy metals, arsenic.