Determination of Cadmium Content in Centrarchids of the Lower Red Cedar River, Wisconsin

Abstract

The Lower Red Cedar River is an 18-mile stretch of the Red Cedar River flowing from the Lake Menomin dam in Menomonie, WI to the Chippewa River near the southern edge of Dunn County. This waterbody sees a massive influx of phosphorus fertilizer runoff each year from surrounding farmland all throughout the Red Cedar basin. Such fertilizers naturally contain cadmium, a potentially hazardous heavy metal that can bio-magnify though aquatic food chains. Centrarchids are a commonly sought-after game species in the Red Cedar River and are often kept for consumption by fisherman. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has not yet conducted any research to determine if there are hazardous concentrations of cadmium in fish throughout this region. The purpose of this study is to determine any instances of the existence of cadmium in the musculature of centrarchids of the Lower Red Cedar River. Lateral myomere tissue samples with an average mass of 28-mg were extracted from the dorsal region of 30 centrarchid specimens; of these 30, there were 28 smallmouth bass, 1 black crappie, and 1 rock bass. Cadmium was not detected in any of the 30 samples.