Affiliations: Department of Fisheries, University of Dhaka,
Dhaka-1000, Bangladesh | Department of Zoology, Jagannath University, Dhaka,
Bangladesh | Bangladesh Atomic Energy Centre, Dhaka-1000,
Bangladesh | Fisheries and Marine Resource Technology Discipline,
Khulna University, Khulna-9208, Bangladesh. E-mail: kawser_du@yahoo.com
Abstract: This study was undertaken to study the concentration of some heavy
metals in the water and sediment samples and their bioaccumulations in
freshwater fish and mussels of the Shitalakhya River. In water samples,
concentration of Ni ranged from 4.31 to 7.83 μg/L, Pb 41.24 to 63.15 μg/L, Cd
7.12 to 10.11 μg/L, Cr 192.18 to 234.32 μg/L, and Cu 156.38 to 254.07 μg/L at
different sampling stations during pre-monsoon, monsoon and post-monsoon. In
sediment samples, Ni ranged from 120.96 to 131.94 mg/kg, Pb 54.52 to 65.90
mg/kg, Cd 1.71 to 2.17 mg/kg, Cr 60.09 to 91.02 mg/kg, and Cu 56.07 to 91.51
mg/kg in dry weight basis at different stations during different seasons. In
Puntius sophore, Ni ranged from 9.07 to 13.01 mg/kg, Pb 8.01 to 10.09 mg/kg, Cd
0.85 to 1.13 mg/kg, Cr 2.94 to 4.01 mg/kg, and Cu 4.92 to 5.27 mg/kg in dry
weight basis during different seasons. In Glossogobius giuris, Ni ranged from
10.53 to 11.32 mg/kg, Pb 7.17 to 9.17 mg/kg, Cd 0.81 to 1.07 mg/kg, Cr 3.13 to
3.37 mg/kg, and Cu 5.19 to 6.03 mg/kg in dry weight basis during different
seasons. In the muscles of the freshwater mussels (Lamellidens marginalis), Ni
ranged from 8.19 to 9.07 mg/kg, Pb 9.16 to 13.09 mg/kg, Cd 1.09 to 1.21 mg/kg,
Cr 8.12 to 9.07 mg/kg, and Cu 5.47 to 8.19 mg/kg in dry weight basis during
different seasons. These variations of metal concentrations in fish and
freshwater mussels in our study are likely to be due to the different sampling
locations, seasons, weight and age of the organisms. The present study found
much higher concentration of heavy metals in water, sediment and aquatic
animals than standard value of WHO and EQS.
Keywords: Heavy metals, bio-accumulation, freshwater mussel, Shitalakhya river
