Bioaccumulation of heavy metals and other toxic elements in the muscles of fish in the Volga River basin

The purpose of this work was to study the accumulation of heavy and toxic elements in the muscles of the main commercial fish of the Volga River basin. Sampling was carried out throughout the Volga River, in areas that are char-acterized by varying degrees of industrial development. In the course of the work, tissue samples of the main species of commercial fish were selected (about 300 samples in total). The analysis of the selected material was carried out by a set of methods: induction coupled plasma mass spectrometry, flam у atomic absorption spectroscopy and cold steam atomic absorption. Based on this analysis, the levels of accumulation of Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Se, Br, Sr, Cd, Sb, I, Hg, Pb in the muscles of the main species of commercial fish were determined. Graphs of the distribution of the concentration of elements in the muscles of perch depending on the area of fishing are given: the maximum concentration of the sum of toxic elements in the muscles of perch is characteristic of the Rybinsk reservoir and the area of the village of Tsagan-Aman, and the minimum - for the upper Volga and delta. The dependence of accumulation of As, Cd, Hg, Se, I and Br in the muscles of perch on the mass of fish has been assessed. It was found that the concentration of Hg and Se in the muscles of the perch is directly proportional to the weight of the fish.