The First Toxicological Report of Bigeye Thresher Alopias superciliosus Lowe, 1841

Abstract Cartilaginous fish species have ecological and economic importance, and ecotoxicological studies on these species are quite insufficient. In this study, Al, Cr, Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn, As, Pb, Cd, and Sr levels were determined in muscle, liver, gill, kidney, spleen, stomach, and gonad tissues of Alopias superciliosus (Female, 240 cm TL) caught from Mersin Bay. Tissue metal analysis was determined by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). The SPSS package program was used for statistical analysis and the Duncan test was applied. A statistical difference was found among the tissues in terms of the metals. Fe was determined the highest level in all tissues (p<0.05). The relation between tissues in terms of Fe level was determined as Liver>Gill>Spleen>Gonad>Kidney>Stomach>Muscle. Zn was detected at higher levels in the liver and stomach, and As in other tissues after Fe. Al has the highest level after Zn and As and was mostly found in the gills. The tissue Cu and Zn levels were found in the same order from highest to lowest as Liver>Gonad>Kidney>Spleen≥ Stomach>Gill>Muscle. Sr was higher in the stomach, gonad, and kidney than the other tissues. Cd levels were found in higher than Pb levels in the examined tissues. Liver Cd level was determined as 57.37 µg g-1 dw. Except for the liver, Mn was found at a low level after Cr in the examined tissues. The distinction between the tissue levels of the investigated elements has changed depending on the functional differences between the tissues and metal metabolisms.