Variability of trace elements in bodies of scrapers (Ephemeroptera) and predators (Plecoptera) from mountain rivers of Dzungarian Alatau (Kazakhstan) and Western Carpathians (Slovakia).

Bioaccumulation of trace elements in aquatic environments can be influenced by local environmental conditions such as temperature fluctuations, pH levels, sediment composition, dissolved organic matter content, and the presence of other chemical substances. We analyzed the differences in trace elements accumulation (S, Cl, K, Ca, Ti, Cr, Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn, Rb, Sr, Mo, Ba, and Pb) between two trophic guilds-scrapers (Ephemeroptera) and predators (Plecoptera)-of freshwater benthic macroinvertebrates collected from mountain streams in Kazakhstan and Slovakia. Trace elements in dried insect bodies were analyzed using an X-ray spectrometer, and physicochemical parameters of stream water were investigated at each sampling site.