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Implications of Heavy Metal Accumulation in Fish Feed, Water, Sediment, and Different Fish Species in a Polyculture System

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Abstract

Heavy metal bioaccumulation in organisms is primarily a result of dietary uptake. The current study examines the concentrations of heavy metals (Pb, Cd, Cr, and Cu) in fish feed, water, sediment, and three fish species (Catla catla, Labeo rohita, and Cyprinus carpio) from different feeding zones in a polyculture pond system. Furthermore, associated human health risks were also evaluated. The fish samples (n = 25 for each species) were collected from 10 different fish ponds in the Kohat district, Pakistan. Heavy metals were determined using an atomic absorption spectrometer. Results revealed higher concentrations of heavy metals in sediment, followed by water. However, the concentration of heavy metals in fish feed was lower than the standard limits. In the case of fish, the bottom feeder (C. carpio) notably exhibited higher (P < 0.05) levels of heavy metals than the column feeder (L. rohita) and surface feeder (C. catla) fish. Moreover, in the liver of all fish species, the bioaccumulation of heavy metals was higher, followed by the gills. Principal component analysis (PCA) demonstrated a strong correlation of heavy metals in C. carpio gills, flesh, feed, and pond water, while the heavy metals in the liver correlated with the detected metals in sediment. The human health risk analysis shows that bottom feeder fish had higher estimated daily intake (EDI), target hazard quotient (THQ), and hazard index (HI) values (> 1). Consequently, the exposed population may experience adverse health effects. The findings of this study suggest that the bottom feeder (C. carpio) bioaccumulates a higher concentration of heavy metals than column (L. rohita) and surface feeder (C. catla) in the polyculture system.

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Data Availability

The datasets generated during and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

The authors extend their appreciation to the Researchers Supporting Project (RSPD2024R758), King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Funding

This work was funded by the Researchers Supporting Project (RSPD2024R758), King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Muhammad Medical College Mirpurkhas/Ibn-e-Sina University, Mirpurkhas, 69012, Sindh, Pakistan

    Allah Bachayo Rajar

  2. Department of Zoology, Wildlife and Fisheries, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Faisalabad, 38040, Punjab, Pakistan

    Zainab Malik

  3. Department of Zoology, Shah Abdul Latif University Khairpur, Khairpur, 66020, Sindh, Pakistan

    Javed Ahmed Ujan

  4. Department of Animal Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32608, USA

    Javed Ahmed Ujan

  5. Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Shaheed Benazir Bhutto University, Shaheed Benazirabad, 67450, Sindh, Pakistan

    Khalid Hussian Rind

  6. Department of Zoology, Bacha Khan University Charsadda, Charsadda, 24540, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

    Raqeeb Ullah

  7. Centre for Research on Fish Nutrition and Environmental Ecology of the Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, 201306, China

    Saira Naz

  8. Department of Zoology, University of Lahore, Sargodha, 40100, Punjab, Pakistan

    Saira Naz

  9. Department of Zoology, Islamia College University Peshawar, Peshawar, 25120, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

    Mujeeb Ullah, Muhammad Zahid, Khalid Khan & Khayyam Khayyam

  10. Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, P.O. Box 55760, 11451, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

    Salim S. Al-Rejaie & Mohamed Mohany

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  1. Allah Bachayo Rajar
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  2. Zainab Malik
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Contributions

Conceptualization, Saira Naz and Allah Bachayo Rajar; data curation, Zainab Malik, and Javed Ahmed Ujan; formal analysis, Khalid Hussian Rind, and Raqeeb Ullah; investigation, Saira Naz; methodology, Mujeeb Ullah; resources, Muhammad Zahid, and Khalid Khan; software, Khayyam Khayyam; writing – original draft, Saira Naz and Allah Bachayo Rajar; writing – review and editing, Salim S. Al-Rejaie, Mohamed Mohany, and Zainab Malik.

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Correspondence to Saira Naz.

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The authors followed all the valid national rules for the use and care of animals, and the study was conducted after the ethical committee approval of the Department of Zoology, University of Lahore, Pakistan.

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Rajar, A.B., Malik, Z., Ujan, J.A. et al. Implications of Heavy Metal Accumulation in Fish Feed, Water, Sediment, and Different Fish Species in a Polyculture System. Biol Trace Elem Res (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-024-04217-1

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