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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. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: 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 ∑14PBDEs concentration was between 0.09ngg−1 dw and 4.32ngg−1 dw, which was lower than those reported for European mountains. The total mercury concentration in individual fish ranged from 243 to 2384ngg−1 dw, and that of MeHg from 131 to 1610ngg−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 &y& Elsevier]