Fernandes, ConceiçãoFontaínhas-Fernandes, A.Peixoto, Francisco P.Salgado, Maria Antónia2011-04-042011-04-042007Fernandes, Conceição; Fontaínhas-Fernandes, A.; Peixoto, F.; Salgado, M.A. (2007). Bioaccumulation of heavy metals in Liza saliens from the Esmoriz-Paramos coastal lagoon, Portugal. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety. ISSN 0147-6513. 66:3, p. 426-4310147-6513http://hdl.handle.net/10198/3936Heavy metal (Cu and Zn) concentrations in liver, gills, and muscle of leaping grey mullet, Liza saliens, from the Portuguese Esmoriz–Paramos coastal lagoon were measured to evaluate their bioaccumulation as a function of sediment contamination. The highest metal concentrations were observed in the liver (254mg Cu kg 1) and gills (114 mgZn kg 1). Bioaccumulation factors (BAFs) were found to follow the order: Cu-liver4Cu-gills4Cu-muscle and Zn-gills4Zn-liver4Zn-muscle. The highest BAFs were observed in the organs mainly implicated in metal metabolism and a significant positive relationship was found between BAFs and fish age. These results suggest the loss of homeostatic capacity of L. saliens under chronic metal exposure leading to bioaccumulation. Furthermore, Cu-liver and Zngills accumulation can be good environmental indicators of metal stress in L. saliensengBioaccumulationChronic exposureHeavy metalsLiza saliensjournal article10.1016/j.ecoenv.2006.02.007