Nature Environment and Pollution Technology

G. V. Zodape ¹

Affiliations
1 Departments of Zoology, S. S. & L. S. Patkar College of Arts and Science and V.P. Varde College of Commerce and Economics, S. V. Road, Goregaon (West), Mumbai-400 062, IN

Abstract

The prawn and shrimp samples were collected from local markets of Malad suburban areas of Mumbai city from June to December 2012. These prawn and shrimp samples were dried in the laboratory and crushed into a fine powder by mortar and pestle and stored in amber coloured bottles in vacuum desiccators. These samples were evaluated by Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emissions Spectroscopy for determination of the 10 heavy metals namely Cu, Zn, Mn, Fe, Co, Cr, Ni, Pb, Cd and Hg. In the present work, the mean values at minimum and maximum concentrations of copper, zinc, iron and chromium in the prawns and shrimp samples were found below the maximum specified acceptable concentration whereas manganese, cobalt, nickel, lead and cadmium values were found above the maximum specified acceptable concentration as prescribed by WHO. The mean values of the minimum and maximum concentrations of mercury in the prawns and shrimp samples were either less than 0.001ppm or absent in all the species.

Keywords

Prawns, Shrimps, Heavy Metals, Malad Market.

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G. V. Zodape ¹, V. L. Dhawan ², R. R. Wagh ²

Affiliations
1 Deptt. of Zoology, S. S. and L. S. Patkar College of Arts and Science, Goregaon (W), Mumbai-400 062, Maharashtra, IN
2 Deptt. of Chemistry, S. S. and L. S. Patkar College of Arts and Science, Goregaon (W), Mumbai-400 062, Maharashtra, IN

Abstract

Seafood is the major source of food of large number of people residing in the coastal areas of Maharashtra. Fish samples namely Arius dussumieri, Parastromateus niger, Harpadon nehereus, Dasyatis uranak and Carcharhinus limbatus from Virar Market, and Nemipterus japonicus, Harpadon nehereus, Coilia dussumieri, Johnius sina and Megalaspis cordyla from Bhayender Market were collected directly from the two suburban markets of Mumbai coast. The fish samples were dried in the laboratory and the dried fishes were crushed into a fine powder by mortar and pestle and stored in amber coloured bottles in vacuum desiccators. These samples were later used for determination of the six heavy metals namely zinc, manganese, iron, lead, cadmium and mercury by Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer. It is reported in the literature that the level of Zn in fishes is generally above the tolerable limits. In the present study it was found that the level of Zn in fishes from Virar and Bhayender markets was also above the tolerable limits. The data for Mn are comparable with the similar data reported by other workers. Iron was the dominant metal measured during the study. From this study, it was found that the concentration of Fe in different species of fishes was quite high as also reported in the earlier literature. Thus, the values of Fe in present study suggest severe contamination in seafood in recent years. The level of Pb, in this study is within tolerance limits. The concentration of Cd in the fishes was far lower than the consumption safety tolerance in fishes set by countries worldwide. According to the results obtained, the Hg level in the fishes was found to be below the tolerance limits. It was also found that the metal ion concentration was having a trend of increasing in winter season as compared to the pre monsoon and monsoon seasons.

Keywords

Seafood, Heavy Metals, Fish, Mumbai Suburban Markets.

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