SOMATIC INDICES IN RELATION TO POLLUTANTS IN EUROPEAN HAKE (MERLUCCIUS MERLUCCIUS) FROM THE ADRIATIC SEA: PRELIMINARY RESULTS

Contaminants such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and mercury (Hg) are known for their endocrine-disprupting potential and can affect both growth and health status of fish. In the present work, PAHs and Hg levels were investigated in the muscle tissue of males and females European hakes (Merluccius merluccius) caught from Adriatic Sea. Somatic indexes, such as gonadosomatic and hepatosomatic indices, as well as the condition factor, were investigated and compared with PAH and Hg contents in fish tissue for possible correlations. Generally, contaminants bioaccumulated in several way according to the sex of fish, females had higher concentrations than males in both pollutants. A positive and significant correlation between PAHs and Hg with gonadosomatic index were found in all fish samples, suggesting that during the gonad development, the capacity to accumulate contaminants by fish increases.