A Multivariate Analysis of Metal Concentrations in Two Fish Species of the Nyl River System, Limpopo Province, South Africa.
Increased toxicity due to high metal concentrations may hinder the ecological integrity of aquatic ecosystems in sustaining life. The non-biodegradable nature of metals may result in bioaccumulation in aquatic organisms. Due to ecological and social aspects it is imperative for monitoring schemes to identify possible impacts to the systems integrity. This paper discusses accumulation patterns of seven metals (Al, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Sr and Zn) in tissues of two fish species, namely Clarias gariepinus and Oreochromis mossambicus at two selected sites, the first located upstream of Modimolle (NRS1), and the second located downstream of the town (NRS2). Gills, liver, muscle and skin tissues were analysed for metal concentrations using standard microwave digestion and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry techniques. Statistical results indicated higher concentrations of metals at NRS2 in comparison to NRS1, indicating that Modimolle plays a potential role in introducing metals into the aquatic system.
['Musa|R|R|', 'Gerber|R|R|', 'Greenfield|R|R|http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4329-3566']
D000818:Animals D002397:Catfishes D004463:Ecology D017753:Ecosystem D004784:Environmental Monitoring D005399:Fishes D005880:Gills D008670:Metals D015999:Multivariate Analysis D045483:Rivers D013019:South Africa D017210:Tilapia D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
Metals Bioaccumulation Clarias gariepinus Oreochromis mossambicus Discriminant function analysis Ramsar