Abstract: Heterotrophic organisms in marine and freshwater food webs ingest a wide range of essential and xenobiotic compounds. Essential compounds are physiologically required by consumers, yet cannot be synthesized de novo, or cannot be synthesized in quantities sufficient to meet an organism's need for somatic growth, reproduction, and survival (see Goulden and Place 1990, for daphnids; Tocher 2003, for teleost fishes). For example, some polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and trace elements such as zinc (Zn), iron (Fe), calcium (Ca) are considered ess...
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Topics: 
Environmental chemistry
Ecology