Protection against heavy metal toxicity by mucus and scales in fish.

Fingerlings of three freshwater fish showed differences in susceptibility to lethality of 250 mg/L lead suspension or lead nitrate solution in water. Among these, the largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) was more tolerant than green sunfish (Lepomis cyanellus) and goldfish (Carassius auratus). The addition of mucus from largemouth bass, when added to jars containing lead, increased the LT-50 value (time to kill 50% of fingerling exposed to 250 mg/L lead) in green sunfish and goldfish. However, adding scales, especially if the scales were treated with an alkaline solution of cysteine and glycine, made all of these species tolerant to otherwise lethal concentrations of lead or mercury. The scales buffered the pH of lead nitrate solution as well as removed lead (and mercury) from water (by settling down at the bottom after sequestering lead). Scales of younger fingerlings of largemouth bass were more efficient in chelating heavy metals than those of older ones.