Heavy metals contamination in commercially available fish speciies in Kerteh River, Terengganu

Abstract

Heavy metals (Cr, Pb, Zn, and Cd) concentrations in muscles, stomach, livers and gills of Plicofollis nella and Plicofollis argyopleuron were analysed using the Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). Total of 12 individuals samples were collected from Kerteh River, Terengganu in the eastern coastal waters of Peninsular Malaysia. The average concentration of the heavy metals in the muscle, stomach, liver and gills are Cr (60.3; 62.0; 48.8; 63.0), Pb (5.0; 12.4; 17.7; 16.4), Zn (432.7; 10208.3; 4083.3; 2385.0) and Cd (0.5; 3.4; 6.8; 0.6) µg t 1 dry weight, respectively. Zinc concentration was found to be the highest among the tested metals in all organs. The correlation of fish's length and heavy metals concentration in the muscle show a positive correlation, however for stomach, liver and gills show negative correlation.