AN INVESTIGATION ON THE HEAVY METAL CONTAMINATION IN ESTUARINE FISHES (ARIUS MACULATUS AND MUGIL CEPHALUS) OF COCHIN BACKWATERS, KERALA
Mary Aneeta, Daisy Joseph* and Jobi Manuel
ABSTRACT
The study was conducted to investigate heavy metal contamination in estuarine fishes Arius maculatus and Mugil cephalus. Fish samples collected from Cochin backwaters and were analysed for heavy metals by using Hand Held X-ray Fluorescence (HHXRF). Heavy metals such as Fe, Zn, Cd and Mn were detected and metals such as As and Pd were below detection limits in all the samples collected. Concentration of metals shows variations with species and type of tissue. Metal concentrations were low in muscles when compared to liver except for Cd and Mn in Mugil cephalus. Highest concentrations of most metals were detected in the tissue samples of Mugil cephalus. The estimated daily intake and hazard quotient were calculated for all the elements detected. Cd had hazard quotient greater than one indicating that consumption of fish from this area can cause health problems.
Keywords: Anthropogenic, Arabian sea, Benthopelagic, Consumption, Freshwater, Hazard, Monitoring Vembanad.
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