The heterogeneity of the contents of trace metals in the dominant copepod species in the seawater around northern Taiwan

Abstract

The dominant copepod species, Canthocalanus pauper (Giesbrecht, 1888), Oncaea venusta Philippi, 1843, Temora turbinata (Dana, 1849), and Undinula vulgaris (Dana, 1849), collected from the sea around northern Taiwan and from the southern East China Sea extending to the Okinawa Trough, were analysed for trace metals (Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn) to study possible spatial heterogeneity in these species of copepods. Trace metal concentrations ranged as follows: Cd, 0.39-141.78 μg/g; Co, 0.03-91.9 μg/g; Cr, 2.26-243.5 μg/g; Cu, 4.36-195.5 μg/g; Fe, 19.96-2886.9 μg/g; Mn, 5.34-735.8 μg/g; Ni, 1.69-954.9 μg/g; Pb, 0.04-85.8 μg/g; and Zn, 5.57-941.8 μg/g. The average concentration of trace metals in the copepod samples analysed follows the sequence: Fe > Zn > Ni > Mn > Cu > Cr > Cd > Co > Pb. The sequence of total metal contents in the copepods is: Oncaea venusta > Temora turbinata > Canthocalanus pauper > Undinula vulgaris. The content of the same metal shows considerable variation both intra- and inter-specifically, and the difference in concentration can vary 1 to 3 orders of magnitude. We also found that metal concentrations in males are higher than in females in Oncaea venusta and Undinula vulgaris. In addition, copepod metal quota also display spatial variation: coastal water > southern East China Sea > Kuroshio Water, suggesting that the metal contents of copepods are influenced by the water quality of their marine environment. © 2010 Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden.