Abstract:To explore the differences in element accumulation between two Antarctic fish species, this study utilized inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) to determine and compare the contents of nine trace elements: iron (Fe), chromium (Cr), manganese (Mn), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), arsenic (As), selenium (Se), cadmium (Cd), and mercury (Hg) in three tissues (brain, heart, and duodenum) of both species. The results show that the content of Fe, Cu, As, Hg, Cd and other elements in the brain of Chionodraco hamatus was significantly lower than that of Trematomus bernacchii (P<0.05); The content of Fe, Cu, Cd and Hg in heart tissue was also significantly lower than T. bernacchii (P<0.05); However, the amount of Hg, Mn, As, and Se in the duodenum of C. hamatus was significantly higher than T. bernacchii (P<0.05), The content of Fe, an important constituent element of hemoglobin, in the brain and heart of the C. hamatus is significantly lower than T. bernacchii. Lack of hemoglobin should be the main cause of this difference. The heavy metal content in the duodenum of the C. hamatusis significantly high, which is speculated to be related to its benthic lifestyle, making it more prone to accumulating heavy metals.Compared with fish in other waters, the content of Cr, As, Cd, Hg, Mn and Cu in the two Antarctic species were higher than that of other fish,which may reflect a certain degree of heavy metal pollution in some Antarctic waters.