CESTODE PARASITES OF THE LARGEMOUTH YELLOWFISH, LABEOBARBUS KIMBERLEYENSIS (GILCHRIST AND THOMPSON, 1913) AS INDICATORS OF HEAVY METAL BIOACCUMULATION

摘要: Twenty Largemouth yellowfish Labeobarbus kimberleyensis (Gilchrist and Thompson, 1913) were collected in the Vaal Dam in the vicinity of RAU Island (Groot Eiland). Muscle-, spinal cord-and liver tissues were removed of each fish and the intestine opened to obtain Bothriocephalus acheilognathi. The tissues were then digested in a microwave digester and the metal concentrations were recorded in each tissue with an ICP-MS. The results indicate that the worms have potential as bioindicators, because in 8 (Lithium, Beryllium, Manganese, Selenium, Mercury, Thallium, Lead and Uranium) out of the 23 elements measured cestodes have accumulated the highest metal concentrations, and in 7 (Chromium, Iron, Zinc, Molybdenum, Cadmium, Tin and Barium) out of 23 elements the second highest metal accumulation was recorded in the cestodes. The present study thus indicates that the Bothriocephalus acheilognathi accumulate metals and may have potential as a bioindicators