Autumn field sampling (fishes)
Autumn field sampling of fishes, water and sediment was conducted from 21th to 26th September 2026.
At six sites (Jalšovec, Sveti Martin na Muri, Mursko Središće, Podturen, Goričan, Kotoriba) we have collected the following samples and performed the following measurements:
1. water for determination of environmental DNA (eDNA)
2. sediments for measurement of metals in two fractions (<2 mm, <0,63 mm) and organic matter content, and for grain-size distribution analyses
3. sediments for determination of bacterial metal resistance genes
At three sites (Sveti Martin na Muri, Mursko Središće, Goričan) we have collected the following samples and performed the following measurements:
1. water for the measurement of dissolved metals (traces, macro elements, and rare earth elements)
2. several physico-chemical parameters were measured (water temperature, pH, conductivity, and dissolved oxygen)
3. two fish species: chub (Squalius cephalus) and barbel (Barbus barbus)
4. blood: for measurement of 21 biochemical biomarkers in serum, determination of hematocrit from whole blood, and analyses of micronucleus and nuclear abnormalities in blood smears
5. liver and gonads: for measurements of bioaccumulated metals (total, cytosolic), determination of metal nanoparticles, analyses of tissue biomarkers, analyses of metalloproteins, and subcellular metal distribution
6. muscle: for measurement of bioaccumulated metals (total) and risk assessment for humans occurring from dietary ingestion, for determination of metal nanoparticles
7. fin and scales: for 2D-determination of metal distribution using micro-XRF
8. scales: for determination of fish age.
