Trace elements in Contracaecum multipappillatum (L3) in relation to its fish hosts from two Kenyan lakes
- Author(s)
- Elick O. Otachi, Christof Plessl, Wilfried Körner, Annemarie Avenant-Oldewage, Christine Fellner, Franz Jirsa
- Abstract
During a parasitological survey of fish from the Lakes Naivasha and Turkana, Kenya, a high prevalence of the parasitic nematode Contracaecum multipappilatum (L3) was recorded from the two fish species Oreochromis leucostictus ( L. Naivasha, P = 51.8%, MI = 2.3 ±1.6) and Hydrocynus forskahlii ( L. Turkana, P = 83.7, MI = 46.0 ± 58.0). The parasite occurred in O. leucostictus exclusively in the pericardium, whereas in H. forskahlii it was aggregated in the body cavity and the intestine. The concentrations of the twelve trace elements Li, Al, Si, Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn, Rb, Sr, Mo, Cd and Pb were determined in sediments, fish muscle, liver and the nematode. For both lakes sediments did not show any significant sign of pollution, except slightly elevated levels of Zn and Cd in Lake Naivasha. Compared to sediment concentrations fish muscle showed a bioaccumulation factor (BAF) >1 for Li, Zn and Cd in Lake Naivasha and Li, Zn, Rb and Cd in Lake Turkana. The parasite showed BAF > 1 for Fe, Cu, Cd and Pb in relation to fish muscle from both lakes, with highest mean values for Pb: 7.0 (L. Naivasha) and 4.0 (L. Turkana). In relation to fish liver the parasite showed a poor accumulation ability, with no BAFs >1 from O. leucostictus and values >1 solely for Sr and Pb (1.6 and 3.2 respectively) from H. forskahlii. Compared to other intestinal helminths as acanthocephalans or cestodes, the bioaccumulation ability for the nematode of this survey must be called rather poor.
- Organisation(s)
- Department of Inorganic Chemistry, Department of Evolutionary Biology
- External organisation(s)
- Egerton University, University of Johannesburg (UJ)
- Publication date
- 01-2016
- Austrian Fields of Science 2012
- 104023 Environmental chemistry, 106027 Ecotoxicology
- Portal url
- https://ucrisportal.univie.ac.at/en/publications/trace-elements-in-contracaecum-multipappillatum-l3-in-relation-to-its-fish-hosts-from-two-kenyan-lakes(59fccfa4-2336-4afe-af12-c4a5aefb8a47).html