White muscle as a bio-indicator of cadmium (Cd) pollution across Kalpani River Mardan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pakistan

• Main Authors: Int J. Biosci, Iram Alam Sthanadar, Aftab Alam Sthanadar, Mudassir Shah, Pir Asmat, Muhammad Yousaf, Ali Muhammad, Muhammad Zahid
• Other Authors: The Pennsylvania State University CiteSeerX Archives
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 2013
• Subjects: Key words; Bioaccumulation; Heavy metals; Muscle; Wallago attu; Kalpani River; Attu
• Online Access: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.652.1003; http://www.innspub.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/IJB-V3No10-p105-116.pdf

In the present investigation we examined the bio accumulation of 05 heavy metals (Pb, Cr, Cd, Ni, Zn) in the muscle tissue of fresh water fish Mulley, Wallago attu collected from 04 different polluted sites of Kalpani River in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province Pakistan, during July 2012 to February 2013. The heavy metals concentration in the muscle of Wallago attu was determined by using Perkin Elmer AS 3100 flame atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Heavy metals accumulated in the order Cd>Cr>Zn>Ni in the muscles tissue of Wallago attu, with no detection of lead (Pb) at all. Cadmium (Cd) was the highest and nickel (Ni) was the least accumulated heavy metal in fish white muscle. Mean concentrations of detected four heavy (Cr, Cd, Ni, Zn) in the muscle of Wallago attu in all 04 samples were 0.44±0.4201, 0.84±0.8283, 0.15±0.1056, 0.31±0.357 μg g-1 (wet weight). Overall, cadmium (Cd) was more accumulated heavy metal in fish muscle as compared to other heavy metals. Our findings suggest that fish muscle have comparatively more chemical affinity to bio accumulate cadmium (Cd) as compared to heavy metals like Zn, Cr and Ni. That is why, cadmium (Cd) is suggested to be a good bio indicator for cadmium (Cd) pollution in aquatic environment.