ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Heavy Metal Uptake and Toxicity in Tissues
of Commercially Important Freshwater Fish
(Labeo rohita and Wallago attu)
from the Indus River, Pakistan
Akhtar Iqbal, Amtul Bari Tabinda, Abdullah Yasar, Yusra Mahfooz
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Sustainable Development Study Center, Government College University,
Lahore, Pakistan
Submission date: 2016-08-13
Final revision date: 2016-11-07
Acceptance date: 2016-11-08
Online publication date: 2017-03-22
Publication date: 2017-03-22
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 2017;26(2):627-633
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ABSTRACT
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the accumulation of heavy metals in the liver, skin,
gills, and muscles of two freshwater edible fish species (Labeo rohita and Wallago attu) collected
from Taunsa barrage of the Indus River in Pakistan. Fish samples were collected on a seasonal
basis and were analyzed by atomic absorption spectroscopy. Gills and liver accumulated relatively
higher heavy metal concentrations. All fish organs accumulated the highest metal content in winter
and the lowest in summer. Heavy metals accumulated in the order Fe>Zn>Ni>Cu>Pb>Cr>As in the body
of Labeo rohita and the tissues with the abundance were liver>gills>skin>muscles. Similarly, the sequence
of heavy metal accumulation in Wallago attu was Fe>Zn>Cu>Ni>Cr>Pb>As, and the targeted tissues were
gills>liver>skin>muscles. Heavy metal bioaccumulation was different in both species. Fe was the highest
and As was the least accumulated heavy metal in both of these fish species. The tissues of Wallago attu
accumulated higher concentrations of Ni (83%), Cu (64%), Cr (50%), Fe (2.95%), and Zn (26%) compared
to tissues of Labeo rohita. However, Pb (67%) and As (22%) accumulation in tissues of Labeo rohita were
higher compared to their concentrations in tissues of Wallago attu. Overall metal burden was 10% higher
in Wallago attu compared to Labeo rohita. Heavy metal concentration in fish tissues were compared with
FAO threshold values.