Polycontamination of eels in the Gironde Estuary, (metals and organic pollutants)

• Main Authors: Tapie, N., Daverat, F., Maury Brachet, R., Elie, P., Boudou, A., Budzinski, H.
• Other Authors: LPTC TALENCE, CEMAGREF BORDEAUX EPBX, LEESA ARCACHON
• Format: Conference Object
• Language: English
• Published: 2005
• Subjects: ANGUILLA ANGUILLA; DYNAMIQUE DE POPULATION; SURVEILLANCE; POLLUTION DE L'EAU; CONTAMINATION; METAUX LOURDS; MONITORING; POPULATION DYNAMICS; WATER POLLUTION; HEAVY METALS; Anguilla anguilla; European eel
• Online Access: https://irsteadoc.irstea.fr/cemoa/PUB00016905

The Gironde estuary shows a large fish assemblage (75 species), among them, the European eel. This species declines in all Europe. Concurrently to this decline, biomonitoring studies using shellfish and fish have shown high metal pollution levels (especially for Cadmiun) and a relatively high level of Persistant Organic Polluant (especially for Polychlorobiphenyls PCB) in the Gironde estuary. In order to investigate the level of contamination and its impact on eel`s population dynamics, metals (cadmium, copper, zinc and mercury) and organic pollutants (PCB) were analysed in correlation with biological parameters such as age, growth, degree of maturation, and habitat use based on Sr/Ca ratio.