Changes in proportions of arsenic species within an Ecklonia radiata food chain

Simon Foster; William Maher; Frank Krikowa

doi:10.1071/EN07063

RESEARCH ARTICLE

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Changes in proportions of arsenic species within an Ecklonia radiata food chain

Simon Foster ^A ^B , William Maher ^A and Frank Krikowa ^A

+ Author Affiliations

- Author Affiliations

^A Ecochemistry Laboratory, Institute of Applied Ecology, University of Canberra, Belconnen, ACT 2601, Australia.

^B Corresponding author. Email: simon.foster@canberra.edu.au

Environmental Chemistry 5(3) 176-183 https://doi.org/10.1071/EN07063
Submitted: 6 September 2007 Accepted: 20 May 2008 Published: 19 June 2008

Environmental context. The present study examines arsenic species in kelp and associated grazing animals of an Ecklonia radiata food chain. The study focusses on the changes in proportions of arsenoribosides obtained from E. radiata and mechanisms are proposed to explain the transformations of arsenoribosides observed in the organisms that graze on it.

Abstract. Total arsenic and arsenic species in the tissues of three growth stages of the macroalgae Ecklonia radiata and within organisms that feed on it are reported. Arsenic concentrations in E. radiata tissues varied from 40 to 153 μg g^–1. Growth stage did not influence arsenic concentrations or arsenic species. E. radiata contained glycerol arsenoriboside (1–8.5%), phosphate arsenoriboside (10–22%) and sulfonate arsenoriboside (73–91%). Arsenic concentrations varied significantly among animal species and between tissues (5–123 μg g^–1). Animals contained variable quantities of arsenobetaine (14–83%). Haliotis rubra tissues contained high concentrations of glycerol trimethylarsonioriboside (0.7–22%) and the fish Odax cyanomelas contained large quantities of phosphate arsenoriboside (25–64%) with little arsenobetaine (1.5–15%).

Arsenoribosides consumed from macroalgae are substantially converted or differentially accumulated as glycerol and phosphate arsenoribosides in animal tissues. In all animals, phosphate arsenoriboside would appear to be conserved or synthesised de novo. In gastropods, glycerol trimethylarsonioriboside and thio arsenic species are formed in the digestive system. Thus, the intermediate arsenic species that form a plausible pathway for the formation of arsenobetaine from dimethylarsenoribosides are present.

Additional keywords: Ecklonia radiata ecosystem, herbivores, macroalgae, total arsenic.

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank the Ecochemistry class for assistance with field sampling and sample preparation. The University of Canberra’s Vice Chancellor’s scholarship for S. Foster is gratefully acknowledged.

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Accessory publication

All tables and Fig. A1 are contained in an Accessory publication, which is available from the Environmental Chemistry website.