Cadmium and lead concentrations in the fish tissues of a coastal lagoon system of the SE Gulf of California.

Mean Cd trend in the muscle of omnivorous (O), planktivorous (P), benthopelagic-carnivorous (BPC), and benthic carnivorous (BC) fish of one lagoon of NW Mexico was BPC > BC > P > O (0.89, 0.59, 0.55 and 0.24 μg g(-1)). That of Pb was P > BC > O > BPC (1.07, 0.48, 0.17 and 0.04 μg g(-1)). In the liver Cd was P > BPC > O > BC (5.09, 2.40, 2.07 and 1.95 μg g(-1)). Pb was P > O > BPC > BC (0.63, 0.40, 0.13 and 0.07 μg g(-1)). There were no differences in Cd and Pb contents due to feeding habits, and the correlations between metals and troph level were not significant (p > 0.05 in all cases).