Comparison of heavy metals burden in two freshwater fishes Wallago attu and Labeo dyocheilus with regard to their feeding habits in natural ecosystem

We examined Zn, Ni, Cr, Cu, Cd and Pb in the skin, gills, intestine, liver and muscle of two fresh water fishes, Wallago attu (Bloch and Schneider, 1801) and Labeo dyocheilus (McClelland, 1839). The aim of the study was to determine the metal accumulation pattern of two species occupying different f...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Pakistan journal of zoology 2010-10, Vol.42 (5), p.537-544
Main Authors: Yousafzai, A.M. (University of Saskatchewan (Canada). Dept. of Biology), Chivers, D.P. (University of Saskatchewan (Canada). Dept. of Biology), Khan, A.R. (COMSAT Inst. of Information Technology, Abbottabad (Pakistan). Dept. of Chemistry), Ahmad, I. (COMSAT Inst. of Information Technology, Abbottabad (Pakistan). Dept. of Chemistry), Siraj, M. (Hazara Univ., Mansehra (Pakistan). Dept. of Physics and Zoology)
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
BIOACCUMULATION
Environmental aspects
FEEDING HABITS
FISH FEEDING
Fishes
Food and nutrition
Freshwater
FRESHWATER FISHES
GILLS
HEAVY METALS
INTESTINES
LABEO DYOCHEILUS
LIVER
MUSCLES
Physiological aspects
Pisces
SKIN
WALLAGO ATTU
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Summary:We examined Zn, Ni, Cr, Cu, Cd and Pb in the skin, gills, intestine, liver and muscle of two fresh water fishes, Wallago attu (Bloch and Schneider, 1801) and Labeo dyocheilus (McClelland, 1839). The aim of the study was to determine the metal accumulation pattern of two species occupying different feeding zones in the same habitat. Metals accumulated in the order Zn greater than Cr greater than Cu greater than Pb greater than Ni greater than greater than Cd in the body of Wallago attu. Metal abundance in different organs of this fish was skin greater than gills greater than muscle greater than intestine greater than liver. Similarly, the order of metal accumulation in the body of Labeo dyocheilus was Zn greater than Cr greater than Cu greater than Pb greater than Ni greater than Cd, while metal abundance in different organs of this fish was in the order liver greater than muscle greater than skin greater than intestine greater than gills. The order of metals bioaccumulation in both the species was different, but in both species Zn was the highest and Cd was the least accumulated metal. Skin, gills, intestine, liver and muscle of Labeo dyocheilus accumulated 43%, 36%, 63%, 105%, 86%, higher metal concentrations as compared to that of Wallago attu. Overall, Labeo dyocheilus accumulated 65.2% extra heavy metals burden as compared to Wallago attu. Our findings suggest that omnivorous fish may bioaccumulate more heavy metals than the carnivorous fish in natural habitats.
ISSN:0030-9923