Accumulation of arsenic in yelloweye mullet (Aldrichetta forsteri) following oral administration of organoarsenic compounds and arsenate.

ABSTRACT

Groups of yelloweye mullet (Aldrichetta forsteri) were maintained for several weeks on diets containing one of a range of organoarsenic compounds (arsenobetaine, arsenocholine, 2-dimethylarsinylethanol, 2-dimethylarsinylacetic acid, 2-dimethylarsinothioylethanol) or arsenate. Fish fed 2-dimethylarsinylethanol, 2-dimethylarsinylacetic acid or 2-dimethylarsinothioylethanol showed no increase in arsenic concentrations in their muscle tissue, while fish fed arsenate showed small increases. The two groups of fish which received either arsenobetaine or arsenocholine had greatly elevated arsenic concentrations in their muscle tissue resulting from an estimated approximately 40% retention of ingested arsenic. Examination of the form of arsenic accumulated by fish fed arsenocholine showed that most of the arsenic (89%) was accumulated as arsenobetaine.