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There are limited data on trace metals in the fishes of the Tibetan Plateau. In this study, 62 fish samples were collected from six alpine lakes and a river to investigate the levels and spatial variations of trace metals across the Tibetan Plateau. The concentrations of nine trace elements in fish samples were measured using an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer after microwave digestion. Results showed the metal concentrations in the fish muscles had the following ranges: Cr 0.09-0.74 mg/kg, Mn 0.38-4.49 mg/kg, Ni 0.06-0.91 mg/kg, Cu 1.00-32.2 mg/kg, Zn 13.1-102.5 mg/kg, As 0.12-3.10 mg/kg, Pb 0.46-3.22 mg/kg, Ba 0.60-4.93 mg/kg, and Se 0.77-9.38 mg/kg on a dry weight basis, respectively. All the lake-averaged metal concentrations in the fish muscle were below the maximum permissible levels set by the Chinese food health criterion (GB2762-2012). The results were analyzed by multivariate statistical techniques to identify the major factors explaining the variance of metal concentrations in the alpine lakes. This work provides baseline data on metal pollution in common fish species of the Tibetan Plateau, contributing to the effective evaluation of both the environmental quality and health status of organisms in the aquatic ecosystem.

Background: Rescue efforts for earthquakes in remote plateau regions require large numbers of professional personnel to be transported from various lowland regions for relief work. Unacclimatised rescuers to high-altitude regions commonly suffer acute mountain sickness (AMS), which makes relief efforts inefficient and potentially dangerous., Methods: In this study, the AMS symptoms of 78 unacclimatised rescue workers for the Yushu earthquake from Beijing were recorded using the Lake Louise AMS self-report questionnaire. Heart rate and blood oxygen were recorded at rest before departure, during rest and during activity., Results: After ascending, resting heart rate increased from mean 75.87 bpm to 87.45 bpm and resting SpO(2) decreased from an average of 98.51% to 90.35% (both p<0.001). The mean Lake Louise AMS Score for participants was 3.1 (95% CI 2.6 to 3.6). 29 members (37.2%) met the diagnosis criteria for AMS. 16 members (20.5%) were evacuated early due to acute AMS (AMS score ≥5). Rhodiola was offered on a voluntary basis as a prophylactic measure but shown to be ineffective., Conclusion: Given the ineffectiveness of prophylactic measures and the urgency of such disaster situations, it is unrealistic to mobilise rescue teams from lowland regions for immediate relief efforts. A local disaster plan specific to plateau earthquakes needs to be developed with local personnel for timely and efficient relief.

High mountains may act as cold traps for globally transported persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and mercury (Hg). In the present study, 60 fish samples were collected from eight alpine lakes across the Tibetan Plateau. Concentrations of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), total mercury (HgT) and methyl mercury (MeHg) were quantified in the fish muscle tissues to improve the understanding of pollution status and factors regulating the transport and fate of these contaminants on the Plateau. The results showed that lake-averaged ∑(14)PBDEs concentration was between 0.09 ng g(-1) dw and 4.32 ng g(-1) dw, which was lower than those reported for European mountains. The total mercury concentration in individual fish ranged from 243 to 2384 ng g(-1) dw, and that of MeHg from 131 to 1,610 ng g(-1) dw, which is much higher than those reported in other mountain fish. The spatial variation of PBDEs and mercury in the Plateau is largely controlled by the specific meteorological patterns., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)