Heavy metals concentrations in acanthocephalans parasites compared to their fish host

A number of authors have demonstrated that heavy metal concentrations in intestinal Helminths are higher than those found in the tissues of their final hosts. In this work, Pb and Cr concentrations in the Acanthocephalan Acanthocephalus anguillae were measured by means of electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry. The metal concentrations measured in the whole body of Acanthocephalans were compared to those in the liver of their fish hosts (Leuciscus cephalus) sampled in the Lambro river (Northern Italy). The results show higher concentrations of Pb and Cr in the parasites, respectively 200 times and 60 times higher than that of the host liver. These results corroborate the usefulness of parasites in the monitoring of biologically available metal concentrations in aquatic ecosystems that are non severely polluted.