Journal of the Marine Biological Association of India

Concentration of lead and cadmium in some edible fishes from Tuticorin

Volume 49 Issue 2

T. Pugalendhi* and G. Uma Maheswari

Abstract

Concentration of lead and cadmium in ten commercially important fishes was estimated using Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer. Lead was present in about 80% of the total stomach samples whereas cadmium was present only in detectable level in the gills (0.465 mg/kg) of Catla catla. The concentration of lead was high in the stomach tissue of Oreochromis mossambicus (0.420 mg/kg) and very low in Sphyraena barracuda (0.003 mg/kg). In the gills, the highest concentration of Pb was found in Leiognathus splendens (0.549 mg/kg) and the lowest in Mugil cephalus (0.006 mg/kg). The highest concentration of Pb in the muscle was recorded in O. mossambicus (0.252 mg/kg) and the lowest in S. barracuda (0.004 mg/kg). The concentrations of Pb and Cd were within the FAO recommended maximum permissible limit for food fish.

Date : 22-07-2008