Abstract
This study evaluated the usefulness of Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) for the determination of elements in sea water and somatic fluids of marine fish. Analyses were performed in sea water from three sampling points in the Japan Sea off Akita Prefecture, in seminal fluid and ovarian fluid of Japanese sandfish (Arctoscopus japonieus) and Chum salmon (Oncorhynchus keta), with the following results: 1. The accuracy of determination of elements by ICP-MS was comparable to that obtained by Absorptiometry and Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry in spite of the fact that ICP-MS required little pretreatment of the samples. 2. The concentrations of the chief elements (Sodium, Magnesium, Potassium, and Calcium) in sea water were fairly constant between sampling points and agreed with reported values. On the other hand, the concentrations of all minor elements, except thallium, varied remarkably between the points and depths of sampling, suggesting that these elements are more easily affected by factors such as the efHux of continental waters or precipitation. 3. With the exception of lithium, most elements present in sea water were aiso found in the somatic fluids of the two marine fish species, aithough their concentrations varied between species and between the seminal and ovarian fluids of the same species. 4. In conclusion, ICP-MS was found to be a reliable means for the rapid and simultaneous determination of most elements present in sea water and somatic fluid samples down to ppt level. Information on these elements may provide invaluable insight on the chemical characteristics of the various fluids, the occurrence of environmental changes, the ecology of marine animals, and the physiological roles of the elements in somatic fluids.
