Using Rutilus rutilus (L.) and Perca fluviatilis (L.) as Bioindicators of the Environmental Condition and Human Health: Lake Łańskie, Poland

• Published in: International journal of environmental research and public health Vol. 17; no. 20; p. 7595
• Main Authors: Łuczyńska, Joanna, Paszczyk, Beata, Łuczyński, Marek Jan, Kowalska-Góralska, Monika, Nowosad, Joanna, Kucharczyk, Dariusz
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 19-10-2020; MDPI
• Subjects: Animals; Aquaculture; Aquatic ecosystems; Bioaccumulation; Bioindicators; Biological magnification; Biomonitoring; Contamination; Cyprinidae; Ecosystem; Environmental Biomarkers; Environmental conditions; Environmental health; Farms; Fatty acids; Fish; Fishes; Food chains; Food contamination; Food contamination & poisoning; Food quality; Gills; Gonads; Humans; Indicator species; Lakes; Lipids; Mercury; Metals; Muscles; Organs; Perca fluviatilis; Perches; Poland; Pollutants; Pollution index; Population Dynamics; Quotients; Rutilus rutilus; Skin; Water Pollutants; Water quality; Poland; lipid quality indices; total mercury; BCF; THQ; freshwater fish
• ISSN: 1660-4601; 1661-7827; 1660-4601
• DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17207595

The aim of this study was to determine the mercury content and fatty acids profile in roach (
L.) and European perch (
L.) from Lake Łańskie (Poland). Mercury content was higher in the muscles than other organs in both species (
< 0.05). Mercury accumulates along the food chain of the lake's ecosystem. The value of the bioconcentration factor (BCF) indicated that Hg had accumulated in the highest amounts in muscles and in the other organs as follows: muscles > liver > gills > gonads. The metal pollution index (MPI) and target hazard quotient (THQ) were below 1, which means that these fish are safe for consumers. The values of HIS, GSI and FCF indicators show that both species of fish can be good indicators of water quality and food contamination. There were few differences between fatty acid content in the muscles of perch and roach. Contents of fatty acids having an undesirable dietary effect in humans (OFA-hypercholesterolemic fatty acids) were lower compared to hypocholesterolemic fatty acids (DFA, i.e., the desirable ones). In addition, the lipid quality indices AI and TI in the muscles of fish were at 0.40 and 0.22 (perch) and at 0.35 and 0.22 (roach), respectively. On this basis, it can be concluded that the flesh of the fish studied is beneficial from the health point of view.