Concentration of heavy and toxic metals in fish and sediments from the Morava river basin, Czech Republic.

OBJECTIVES: The monitoring survey to assess the environmental pollution status of the river Morava--was carried out in 2014.

DESIGN: This study presents the concentrations of heavy metals (Hg, Cr, Zn, Pb and Cd) in the water, sediment and muscle tissue of fish from the middle and lower reaches of the Morava river basin (Bečva, Dřevnice, Haná, Kyjovka and Morava rivers), in the Czech Republic. Atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) was used for the analysis of toxic metals. European chub (Squalius cephalus) was chosen as a reference fish species for the comparison of monitored localities.

RESULTS: Results showed a positive significant correlation between concentration of Hg, Pb, Cd, Cr and Zn in muscles and age of fishes (p<0.05). The contents of the analyzed metals in European chub muscles were low Hg 0.049-0.402, Pb 0.005-0.035, Cd 0.006-0.026, Cr 0.016-0.042 and Zn 5.59-64.31 mg.kg(-1) wet weight basis and did not exceed the values of limits admissible in the Czech Republic.

CONCLUSIONS: The contents of the analyzed metals in European chub muscles were low at monitoring sites and did not exceed the values of limits admissible in the Czech Republic.