Relationships between body burdens of trace metals (As, Cu, Fe, Hg, Mn, Se, and Zn) and the relative body size of small tooth flounder (Pseudorhombus jenynsii)

Several studies have described strong relationships between body size and the accumulation of trace metals in animal tissues. However, few of these studies have utilized aging techniques to control for age related effects. We utilized relative body size (g y− 1) of a model flounder species, Pseudorhombus jenynsii, in order to control for age related effects on growth and size measurements. We investigated links between relative body size, concentrations of trace metals in flounder muscle tissue, physico-chemical variables (temperature, salinity, pH, and turbidity), and levels of trace metals in the sediment. Flounder were sampled using an otter trawl net in the inner areas of eight estuaries that were either heavily modified or relatively unmodified by urbanization and industrial activity. Our results indicate that this commonly eaten fish is accumulating significant levels of some trace metals in their muscle tissue, both in relatively unmodified and heavily modified estuaries. Concentrations of Cu, Zn and Fe in muscle tissue, as well as temperature, showed a negative relationship to the relative body size of flounder. In contrast, Se and Hg in muscle showed a positive relationship to relative body size. Observed growth patterns indicate that these effects are not driven by age related differences in metabolic activity. Instead, our results suggest that differences in food supply or toxicological effects may be responsible for the observed relationships between relative body size and concentrations of Cu, Zn, and Se in muscle tissues. The use of otolith aging and growth measurement techniques represents a novel method for assessing the relationships between trace metal accumulation and the relative body size of fish in a field environment.

► We examined relationships between relative body size of flounder and trace metals in muscle.
► Cu, Zn, Fe, and temperature showed a negative relationship to relative body size.
► Hg and Se showed a positive relationship to relative body size.
► Large effect sizes were described for Cu, Zn, and Se.
► Food supply or toxicological effects may be responsible for these relationships.