Bioaccumulation and biomagnification of potentially toxic elements in the octopus Octopus hubbsorum from the Gulf of California

The concentrations of 21 potentially toxic elements (PTEs) were determined in the tissues of Octopus hubbsorum from three locations along the Gulf of California coast: two near Santa Rosalia (SR), a site with historical metal contamination, and one in La Paz Bay, a reference site. Concentrations of Cd, Co, Cr, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn in octopus from the two SR sites were higher than those from the reference site, reflecting the higher sediment concentrations at the mining-impacted locations. The highest bioaccumulation and biomagnification of elements was found in digestive gland and branchial hearts, while the lowest was observed in the mantle, where the mean concentration of PTEs did not exceed international standards for human consumption of octopus. This study found elevated PTEs in octopus from sites with high metal contamination, and presents the first data on these elements in octopus from the Gulf of California.