Algorithm to analyze distribution of heavy metals in fish tissues on the example of northern pike

The paper deals with an algorithm created to analyze the heavy metals content in fish tissues. We developed it to study the distribution of heavy metals in fish tissues as well as to find appropriate mathematical approaches for its assessment. The algorithm consists of two steps. The first one is calculation of mean ratios of all the metals content being studied for every pair of tissues of each fish. The second one is calculation of mean ratios of an every single metal content for every pair of tissues of all the fishes. The operability of the algorithm was tested with the values of heavy metals concentrations in the northern pike (Esox lucius) tissues of the Upper Volga basin. These results were obtained using the inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. During the first step of the analysis more or less statistically reliable mean ratios of heavy metals content for individual fishes were obtained, but no common regularities of heavy metals distribution between pike tissues were revealed. These regularities can be found in expanding and optimizing the sample of fishes. At the second step it was statistically reliably stated that in pike Co accumulates in bones much more than in gonads or muscles, and Cd accumulates much more in heart than in other tissues especially in muscles. Besides, Cu accumulates much less in muscles than in other studied tissues.