Presencia de mercurio, plomo y cobre en tejidos de Orechromis niloticus: sector de la cuenca alta del Rio Chicamocha, vereda Volcán, Paipa, Colombia

Reported Lead Levels in Different Environmental Matrices in Colombia

“…However, in the Ciénaga de Mallorquín, in the city of Barranquilla, lead levels of 0.66-2.03 μg/g (dry weight) were reported, associated with the Barranquilla industrial area, as well as the accumulation of pollutants in mangrove forests and in the sediment load of the Magdalena River [57]. Similarly, in the upper basin of the Chicamocha River, lead levels were found in the Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus), with maximum values of 0.47 µg/g, 0.51 µg/g, and 0.45µg/g in liver, gill, and muscle tissue respectively [58]. Additionally, in the Gulf of Urabá, amounts of Pb were reported in crevalle jack (Caranx hippos) above the allowed limit in a range of 0.667-23.378 mg/kg, with mean values of 1.30 mg/kg in muscle tissue, 0.95 mg/kg in residues, 7.8 mg/kg in viscera, 13.3 mg/kg in head and gills, and 19.4 mg/kg in fins and tail [59].…”

“…Contamination with Pb in fish is attributed to eating habits that include sediments [56], benthic algae, phytoplankton, eggs and larvae of other species, as well as the presence of the metal in the aquatic ecosystem as a result of the discharge of domestic and industrial wastewater [58], [57]. This increases the bioavailable lead for animal and plant species in water systems, which eventually bioaccumulates it in their body.…”