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Human health risk from organ-specific accumulation of toxic metals and response of antioxidants in edible fish species from Chenab River, Pakistan

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Abstract

In the current study, the bioaccumulation of essential and nonessential metals and related antioxidant activity were analyzed in three organs (muscle, gills, and liver) of herbivorous (HF) and carnivorous (CF) edible fish of Chenab River. The comparative analysis revealed a more heterogeneous accumulation of metals in the muscles of HF fish than that of CF fish [chromium (Cr, 3.4 μg g−1), cobalt (Co, 1.7 μg g−1), copper (Cu, 3 μg g−1), and iron (Fe, 45 μg g−1) versus Cr (1.3 μg g−1), Co (0.1 μg g−1), Cu (1.1 μg g−1), and Fe (33 μg g−1), respectively, P < 0.001]. These results implied an organ-specific accumulation of metals at different trophic levels. According to logistic regression analysis, the bioaccumulation of metals had marked differences in HF and CF. The antioxidant activity was significantly related to the tissue type and the metals to which the organs are exposed to. The liver of CF fish had a higher activity of antioxidant superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione (GSH), and lipid peroxidase (LPO) than that of HF (P < 0.05). LPO and guaiacol peroxidase (POD) in both groups were associated with a number of metals, but in HF, cadmium (Cd), Cr, Pb, and Zn were more related with the LPO and SOD activities. Moreover, Cd, Co, Fe, Pb, Ni, Cu, and Zn were above the permissible limits set by various agencies. In numerous cases, our results were even higher than those previously reported in the literature. The results provide an insight into the pollution pattern of Chenab River. These results may be helpful in the future to identify biomarkers of exposure in aquatic organisms.

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Abbreviations

CAT:

Catalase

GPO:

Glutathione peroxidase

GSH:

Glutathione

LPO:

Lipid peroxidase

POD:

Peroxidase

ROS:

Reactive oxygen species

SOD:

Superoxide dismutase

WHO:

World Health Organization

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Environmental Biology and Ecotoxicology Laboratory, Department of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, 45320, Pakistan

    Sidra Waheed, Atif Kamal & Riffat Naseem Malik

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  1. Sidra Waheed
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  2. Atif Kamal
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Correspondence to Riffat Naseem Malik.

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Waheed, S., Kamal, A. & Malik, R.N. Human health risk from organ-specific accumulation of toxic metals and response of antioxidants in edible fish species from Chenab River, Pakistan. Environ Sci Pollut Res 21, 4409–4417 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-013-2385-3

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