Morphological Analysis of Chemical Elements in Fish Scales

Presenter Information

Ethan Nichols, Minnesota State University - Mankato
Natacha Tasha, Minnesota State University - MankatoFollow
Henruka Abugre, Minnesota State University - Mankato

Location

CSU Ballroom

Start Date

21-4-2014 10:00 AM

End Date

21-4-2014 11:30 AM

Student's Major

Biological Sciences

Student's College

Science, Engineering and Technology

Mentor's Name

Michael Bentley

Mentor's Email Address

michael.bentley@mnsu.edu

Mentor's Department

Biological Sciences

Mentor's College

Science, Engineering and Technology

Description

Fish scales are thin plates of bone that grow in concentric rings according to seasonal cycles. During this growth there is mineralization of hydroxyapatite (Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2)and incorporation of other chemical elements. The incorporation of these elements may occur according to the seasonal growth of the scales. In this study, we used a scanning electron microscope (SEM) equipped with an x-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy system (EDS) to examine fish scales from various Minnesota species. This system provides a means to identify the chemical elements and map their location in relation to the growth rings. Our results indicate that the scale’s chemical composition is very similar to that of bone. In addition to calcium, phosphate, oxygen, carbon, and nitrogen that are normal components of bone tissue, other elements such as aluminum and magnesium were found in growth rings of the scales. This study suggests a potential means to detect and localize pollutants (e.g. lead, mercury, and arsenic) that have been incorporated into the bone tissue in relation to the seasonal growth of the fish.