Heavy Metal Uptake and Toxicity in Tissues
of Commercially Important Freshwater Fish
(Labeo rohita and Wallago attu)
from the Indus River, Pakistan

While fish is considered a healthy component of the human diet, consumption of fish with high levels of trace metals in their flesh constitutes a public health risk as trace metals have been proven to be toxic. We investigated the concentrations of toxic elements in seawater and also in different body parts of the fish Trachurus capensis caught near Durban, South Africa, using inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES). The highest metal concentration in fish body parts was observed for Pb, followed by Zn. Significantly higher levels of Mn were observed in fish gills as compared to the tissue (muscle) and fish frame. With respect to bioaccumulation, significantly higher Pb levels were observed in fish tissues compared to As, Cr, and Mn. In the frame, significantly higher Pb levels were observed compared to all other metals except Ba. There were no significant differences in the concentrations of different metals in fish gills. Overall, the toxic metal concentrations in the muscle of cape horse mackerel were below levels of concern for human consumption as defined by the FAO and WHO.

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessing Toxic Elemental Concentrations in Marine Fish Trachurus capensis (Cape Horse Mackerel) and Implications for Public Health

Debipersadh

Selvarajan

Sibanda

et al. 2018

“…There was a higher accumulation of biogenic elements during the sampling time, and the concentration was increasing from June to October. Seasonal variations in the concentrations of metals and biogenic elements are commonly reported [1,[70][71][72]. These elements often do not vary together, and there are seasonally different peaks and falls for different elements [71].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Many causes have been demonstrated to affect seasonal tissue element concentrations. Diet-borne concentration of elements in fish is changing with food diversity, food abundance, change in diet, and feeding rate [11,72,73]. Yellow perch tissue metal concentration peaked in summer with the increase in food uptake [74].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…As the perch change diet during the season, the tissue concentration decreased, but the total burden increased. The biogenic elements concentrations in fish often reflect the ambient concentrations of these elements in water [72,76]. The concentration of elements in the water column depends on physicochemical parameters such as temperature and dissolved organic matter, and these parameters influence the bioavailability of elements across the season [77,78].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Biogenic and Metalic Element Accumulation in the European Perch (Perca fluviatilis) in the Largest Dam in Slovakia

Hurta

Buchalová

2018

Aquatic organisms are exposed to a complete mix of elements. The accumulation of elements in organisms often reflects the amount of these elements in the surrounding environment, especially in the water environment, where the elements are easily spread [1, 2]. In studies where the concentration of metals in different lakes increased in gradient, the accumulation of metals increased in the juvenile perch transplanted up the gradient and the opposite down the gradient [3]. The accumulation of elements in fish depends on environmental factors such as temperature, pH, dissolve organic matter, and salinity [4-6]. These physicochemical parameters often change with the season, and thus season affects the bioavailability and accumulation of elements in fish [1]. Biological factors such as age, size, and weight of individuals, sex, reproduction cycle, feeding, and habitat use also play an important role in the accumulation of elements [2, 7-10]. The accumulation and the beneficial or toxic effects of elements depend on element properties. In general, elements are categorized into biologically essential and non-essential. Biogenic elements are integral components to support the function of an organism [11]. However, the concentration and accumulation of these elements account for the

“…Wetlands refer to regions that are either temporarily or permanently flooded, leading to anoxic conditions and subsequent bio-reduction of soil. Natural or artificial sources of heavy metals can enter the wetland ecosystem from the ground surface, underground runoff, and atmospheric dust, and can be enriched in the body of fish [9][10][11]. When hydrological conditions and physicochemical properties in wetland soil, sediment, and water are changed, some of the heavy metal and mercury that has been fixed will be released again, resulting in secondary pollution and deterioration of the ecological environment [12][13][14].…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Concentrations and Speciation of Mercury in Soil Affected by Bird Droppings

Yao¹,

Fang²,

Wu³

et al. 2019

Mercury (Hg) is a type of nervous poison element that exists in the atmosphere, water, and soil. It can threaten human health and the greater ecosystem either directly or indirectly [1-3]. For example, when consumed through food, high concentrations of mercury and methyl-mercury (MeHg) may affect humans' and animals' nervous and reproductive systems. In addition, Hg and MeHg can change birds' sexual orientation by disrupting the release of gonadal hormones, and bring into play adverse effects such as endocrine disruption and neurodevelopmental impairment in carnivores