Metal bioavailability and distribution in the fish community in a tropical estuary, Sepetiba Bay, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Sepetiba Bay has a wealth of fish species (total 148) as well as a vast area of mangroves and numerous rocky islands, which are important sites of reproduction for marine life. This peculiar environment of the Brazilian coast hosts one of the most important industrial centres of south-eastern Brazil. This site has been impacted for decades by the release of industrial emissions and effluents with high metal loads by the steel industry. The ranges of metal concentrations in fish muscle from the species Micropogonias furnieri, Genidens genidens, Cathorops spixii, Notarius grandicassis, Diapterus rhombeus, Selene vomer, Prionotus punctatus, Citharichthys spilopterus, Achirus lineatus, Trinectes paulistanus, Symphurus tessellatus and Hypanus guttatus were measured (Al: 0.02-555.9 µg g-1 d.w., As: 0.0002-20.1 µg g-1 d.w., Cd