Skip to main content

Advertisement

Log in

Heavy Metal Concentrations in Fishes from Juru River, Estimation of the Health Risk

  • Published:
Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This study examined the concentration of heavy metals in 13 fish species. The results indicated that shellfish species (clams) have the highest metal concentrations, followed by demersal and pelagic fishes. The mean concentration of metals in clams are Zn 88.74 ± 11.98 µg/g, Cu 4.96 ± 1.06 µg/g, Pb 1.22 ± 0.19 µg/g, Cd 0.34 ± 0.04 µg/g dry wt. basis, whereas the same measure in fish tissues was 58.04 ± 18.51, 2.47 ± 1.21, 0.58 ± 0.27 and 0.17 ± 0.08 µg/g dry wt. basis. The concentrations of heavy metals in clams and fish tissues were still lower than the maximum allowable concentrations as suggested by the Malaysian Food Act (1983) and are considered safe for local human consumption.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Agemian H, Starvent DP, Austen KD (1980) Simultaneous acid extraction of six trace metals from fish tissues by hot-block digestion and determination by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Analyst 55:125–130

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Balachandran KK, Lalu Raj CM (2005) Heavy metal accumulation in a flow restricted, tropical estuary. Estuar Coast Shelf Sci 65:361–370

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Boscolo R, Cacciatore F, Berto D, Giani M (2007) Polychlorinated biphenyls in clams Tapes philippinarum cultured in the Venice Lagoon (Italy): contamination levels and dietary exposure assessment. Food Chem Toxicol 45:1065–1075

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Couture P, Rajott JW (2003) Morphometric and metabolic indicators of metal stress in wild yellow perch (Perca flaveseens) from Sudbury, Ontario: a review. J Environ Monit 5:216–221

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • DOE (2005) Malaysia environmental quality report 2004. Department of environment, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment Malaysia, Malaysia

    Google Scholar 

  • Domingo JL, Bocio A, Falc´o G, Llobet JM (2007) Benefits and risks of fish consumption part I. A quantitative analysis of the intake of omega-3 fatty acids and chemical contaminants. Toxicology 230:219–226

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • FAO-Food and Agriculture Organization (2009) Fishery and aquaculture statistics. (ftp://fao.org/FI/CDrom/CD_yearbook_2009/navigation/index_content_food_balance_e.htm)

  • Gale NL, Adams CD, Wixson AB, Loftin KA, Huang Y (2004) Lead, zinc, copper and cadmium in fish and sediment from the Big River and Flat River Creek of Missouri’s Old Lead Belt. Environ Geochem Health 26:37–49

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • JECFA—Joint Expert Committee for Food Additives (2003) Summary and conclusions of the 61st meeting of the joint FAO/WHO expert committee on food additives (JECFA). JECFA/61/SC. Rome, Italy

  • Kalay M, Canli M (2000) Elimination of heavy metals (Cu, Zn, Cd and Pb) in tissues of a freshwater fish Tilapia zilli. Turk J Zool 24:429–436

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kamaruzzaman BY, Shuhada NT, Akbar B, Shahbudin S, Jalal KCA, Ong MC, Al-Barwani SM, Goddard JS (2011) Spatial concentrations of lead and copper in bottom sediments of Langkawi coastal area, Malaysia. Res J Environ Sci 5:179–186

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lim PE, Kiu MY (1995) Determination and speciation of heavy metals in sediment of the Juru River, Penang, Malaysia. Environ Monit Assess 35:85–95

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lim TO, Ding LM, Zaki M, Suleiman AB, Fatimah S, Siti S, Tahir A, Maimunah AH (2000) Distribution of body weight, height and body mass index in a national sample of Malaysian adults. Med J Malays 55:108–128

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Malaysian Food Act (1983) MDC. Malaysia, 1995

  • McKim JM, Eaton JG (1978) Metal toxicity to embryos and larvae of eight species of freshwater fish-II: copper. Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 19:608–616

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nussey G, Vuren JHJ, Preez HH (2000) Bioaccumulation of chromium, manganese, nickel and lead in the tissue of the moggel, Labeo, umbratus (Cyprinidae), from Witbank Dam, Mpumalanga. Water SA 26:269–284

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Romeo M, Siau Y, Sidoumou Z, Gnassia-Barelli M (1999) Heavy metal distribution in different fish species from the Mauritania Coast. Sci Total Environ 232:169–175

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • US EPA-US Environmental Protection Agency (2000) Guidance for assessing chemical contaminant data for use in fish advisory, vol. II: risk assessment and fish consumption limits. US Environmental Protection Agency. Office of science and technology. Office of water, Washington (DC), EPA823-B-00-008

  • Viarengo A (1989) Heavy metals in marine invertebrates: mechanisms of regulation and toxicity at the cellular level. Crit Rev Aquat Sci 1:295–317

    CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

We would like to acknowledge the Faculty of Science and Technology, National University of Malaysia and the Ministry of High Education in Libya for financial support and also the laboratory assistants for sampling and analysing the fish samples.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to A. A. Idriss or A. K. Ahmad.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Idriss, A.A., Ahmad, A.K. Heavy Metal Concentrations in Fishes from Juru River, Estimation of the Health Risk. Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 94, 204–208 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00128-014-1452-x

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00128-014-1452-x

Keywords

Navigation