Incidence of Lead, Cadmium and Mercury in Freshwater Fish from Saurashtra Region of Gujarat (India)

Abstract

The edible meat from fresh water fish viz., Catla (Catla catla), Rohu (Labeo rohita), fresh water cat fish (Wallago attu) and minor carp (Puntius spp.) from different reservoirs of Gujarat were analysed for the presence of heavy metals of human health significance. Cadmium levels in these samples were in the range of 0.01 to 0.13 ppm and lead was in the range 0.01 to 0.51 ppm. Mercury was detected in 48% of the samples analysed. Generally, the observed levels of heavy metals in all the samples were well below the maximum residual levels permissible in national and international standards and is not a health hazard to the consumers. However, the pattern of heavy metal incidence could not derive any specific relationship between different species, locations or season.