Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Bioaccumulation of Heavy Metals in Different Organs of Wallago attu from River Kabul Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

  • Published:
Biological Trace Element Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The aim of the study was to quantify the accumulation of heavy metals like Zn, Ni, Cr, Cu, Cd, Mn, Fe, and Hg in various organs of Wallago attu. Samples were collected from polluted parts of River Kabul and compared with control fish netted from Warsak Dam. The data indicated that the sequence of metal bioaccumulation in the skin, gills, and muscle was Zn > Cr > Pb > Cu > Ni > Fe > Mn > Hg > Cd, in the intestine was Zn > Pb > Cr > Cu > Ni > Fe > Mn > Hg > Cd, and in the liver was Zn > Pb > Cr > Cu > Ni > Fe > Mn > Hg > Cd. The overall metal burden in different tissues of W. attu was in the sequence of skin > gills > intestine > muscle > liver. The skin being the prime target organ showed that the route of metal uptake was the direct result of fish to metal exposure. The liver accumulated the least level of metals than other organs of the same fish.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Gresswell RK, Huxeley A (1965) Standard Encyclopedia of the world’s rivers and lakes, Weidenfield and Nicholson

  2. Yousafzai AM, Shakoori AR (2008) Toxic effects of aquatic pollution on the white muscle of Mahaseer, Tor putitora (Hamilton) from river Kabul, NWFP, Pakistan. Pak J Zool 39:215–227

    Google Scholar 

  3. Khan AR, Akif M, Khan M, Riaz M (1999) Impact of industrial discharges on the quality of Kabul River water at Aman Gar, Nowshera, Pakistan. J Chem Soc Pak 21:97–105

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Yousafzai AM, Khan AR, Shakoori AR (2010) Pollution of large, subtropical rivers—River Kabul, Khyber-Pakhtun Khwa Province, Pakistan: physico-chemical indicators. Pak J Zool 42:795–808

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) (1994) Pollution and the Kabul river, an analysis and action plan. Environmental planning and development department. NWFP, Pakistan

    Google Scholar 

  6. Rafique (2001) Fish fauna of the Hamalayas in Pakistan with comments on the origin and dispersal of its high Asian elements. Pak J Zool 33:279–288

    Google Scholar 

  7. Canli M, Ay O, Kalay M (1998) Levels of heavy metals (Cd, Pb, Cu, Cr and Ni) in tissues of Cyprinus carpio, Barbus capito and Chondrostoma regium from the Seyhan river Turkey. Turk J Zool 22:149–157

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Alloway BJ, Ayres DC (1993) Chemical principles of environmental pollution. Blackie, Academic, UK, pp 140–149

    Book  Google Scholar 

  9. DWAF (Department of water affairs and forestry) (1996) South African water quality guidelines. Volume 7 Aquatic ecosystem DWAF Pretoria

  10. Janssen CR, Schamphelaera KD, Heijerick D, Muyssen B, Lock M, Bossuyt B et al (2000) Uncertainties in the environment risk assessment of metals. Hum Ecol Risk Assess 6:1003–1018

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Dallinger R, Prosi F, Seger H, Black H (1987) Contaminated food and uptake of heavy metals by fish: a review and a proposal for further research. Ecologia (Berl) 73:91–98

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Dutton MD, Majewski HS, Klaverkamp JE (1988) Biochemical stress indicators in fish from lakes near a metal smelter. Int Assoc Great Lakes Res Conf 13:9–14

    Google Scholar 

  13. Powers DA (1989) Fish as model systems. Science 246:352–358

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Bailey G, Williams D, Hendricks J (1996) Fish models for environmental carcinogenesis: the rainbow trout. Environ Health Presp 104:5–21

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Karthikeyan S, Palaniappan PR, Sabhanayakam S (2007) Influence of pH and water hardness upon nickel accumulation in edible fish Cirrhinus mrigala. J Environ Biol 28:484–492

    Google Scholar 

  16. Cavas T, Ergene-Gozukara S (2005) Micronucleus test in fish cells: a bioassay for in situ monitoring of genotoxic pollution in the marine environment. Environ Mol Mutagen 46:64–70

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Olowu RA, Ayejuyo OO, Adewuyi GO, Adejoro IA, Denloye AAB, Babatunde AO et al (2010) Determination of heavy metals in fish tissues, water and sediment from Epe and Badagry lagoons, Lagos, Nigeria. E J Chem 7:215–221

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Buhler DR, Stokes RM, Caldwell RS (1977) Tissue accumulation and enzymatic effects of hexavalent chromium in rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri). J Fish Res Bd Can 34:918–924

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Puel D, Zsuerger N, Berittmayer JP (1987) Statistical assessment of a sampling pattern for evaluation of changes in mercury and zinc concentration in Patella coerulea. Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 38:700–706

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Deb SC, Santra SC (1997) Bioaccumulation of heavy metals in fishes. An in-vivo experimental study of sewage fed ecosystem. Environmentalist 17:21–32

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Larsson A, Haux C, Sjobeck M (1985) Fish physiology and metal pollution: result and experience from laboratory and field studies. Ecotoxicol Environ Safe 9:250–281

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Van Loon JC (1980) Analytical atomic absorption spectroscopy, selected methods. Academic, New York, p 337

    Google Scholar 

  23. Du Preez HH, Steyn GJ (1992) A preliminary investigation of the concentration of selected metals in the tissues and organs of the tiger fish (Hydrocynus vittatus) from the Oilfants River, Kruger National Park, South Africa. Water S A 18:131–136

    Google Scholar 

  24. Quan WM, Han JD, Shen AL, Ping XY, Qian PL, Li CJ et al (2006) Uptake and distribution of N, P and heavy metals in three dominant salt marsh macrophytes from Yangtze River estuary, China. Mar Environ Res 34:45–53

    Google Scholar 

  25. Singh RK, Chavan SL, Sapkale PH (2006) Heavy metal concentrations in water, sediments and body tissues of red worm (Tubifex spp.) collected from natural habitats in Mumbai, India. Environ Monit Assess 129:471–481

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Jayakumar P, Paul VI (2006) Patterns of cadmium accumulation of the catfish (Clarias batrachus) (Linn) exposed to sublethal concentration of cadmium chloride. Veterinarski Archiv 76:167–177

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Kumar P, Prasad Y, Ranjan R, Swarup D, Pattanaik AK, Patra RC (2008) Accumulation pattern of cadmium in tissues of Indian catfish (Clarias batrachus). Anim Nutr Feed Techn 8:115–119

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Anadon A, Maria JM, Ortiz J (1984) Accumulation of Zn, Pb, Cu and Cr by rainbow trout. J Bombay Nat Hist Soc 79:225–230

    Google Scholar 

  29. Vander PI, Part P (1982) Oxygen and chromium transfer in perfused gills of rainbow trout, Salmo gairdneri exposed to hexavalent chromium at two different pH levels. Aquat Toxicol 2:31–45

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. Spicer JI, Weber RE (1991) Respiratory impairment in crustaceans and molluscs due to exposure to heavy metals. Comp Biochem Physiol 100:339–342

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Pentreath RJ (1976) Some further studies on the accumulation and retention of Zn-65 and Mn-54 by the Plaice, Pleuronectes platessa L. J Exp Mar Biol Ecol 21:179–189

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. Part P, Svanberg (1981) Uptake of cadmium in perfused rainbow trout (Salvelinus gairdneri) gills. Can J Fish Aquat Sci 38:917–924

    Article  Google Scholar 

  33. Wepner V, Van Vuren JHJ, Dupreez HH (2001) Uptake and distribution of a copper, iron and zinc mixture in gill, liver and plasma of a fresh water teleost, Tilapia sparrmanii. Water S A 27:99–108

    Google Scholar 

  34. Zia S, McDonald DG (1994) Role of the gills and gill chloride cells in metal uptake in the freshwater-adapted rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). Can J Fish Aquat Sci 51:2482–2492

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  35. Yousafzai AM, Siraj M, Ahmad H, Doughlas PC (2012) Bioaccumulation of heavy metals in common carp: implication for human health. Pak J Zool 44:489–494

    Google Scholar 

  36. Fatma AS, Mohamed NSG (2005) Distribution of some heavy metals in tissues of Oreochromis nilotics, Tilapia zjllii and Claras lazera from Abu Za, baal lakes and their impacts on some biochemical parameters and on the histological structures of some organs. Egypt J Aqua Biol Fish 9:4–80

    Google Scholar 

  37. Khallaf EA, Galal M, Authman M (1998) Assessment of heavy metals pollution and their effects on Oreochromis niloticus in aquatic drainage canals. J Egypt Ger Soc Zool 26:39–74

    Google Scholar 

  38. EI-Moselhy KM (1999) Levels of some metals in fish, Tilapia species caught from certain Egyptian lakes and River Nile. Egypt J Aquat Biol Fish 3:73–83

    Google Scholar 

  39. Bury NR, Walker PA, Glover CN (2003) Nutritive metal uptake in teleost fish. J Experi Biol 206:11–23

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  40. Adeyeye EI (1993) Trace heavy metal distribution in the fish, Illisha africana organs and tissue. Chromium, zinc, iron and cobalt. Pak J Sci Ind Res 36:333–337

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  41. Yilmaz EI (2003) Metal tolerance and biosorption capacity of Bacillus circulans strain EB1. Res Microbiol 154:409–415

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  42. Stokes PM (1979) Copper accumulation in freshwater biota. In: Nriagu JO (ed) Copper in the environment. Wiley and Sons Inc, New York, pp 357–381

    Google Scholar 

  43. Dural M, Goksu MZ, Ozak AA, Derical B (2006) Bioaccumulation of some heavy metals in different tissues of Dientrarchus labrax, Sparus aurata and Mugil cephalus from the Camlik lagoon of the Eastern Coast of Mediterranean. Turk J Zool 20:313–321

    Google Scholar 

  44. Heath AG (1990) Water pollution and fish physiology. C R C press, pp 254

  45. Mccarter JA, Roch M (1983) Hepatic metallothionein and resistance to copper in juvenile coho salmon. Comp Biochem Physiol 74:133–137

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  46. Yousafzai AM, Khan AR, Shakoori AR (2009) Trace metal accumulation in the liver of an endangered south Asian fresh water fish dwelling in sub-lethal pollution. Pak J Zool 41:35–41

    Google Scholar 

  47. Nussey G (2000) Bioaccumulation of chromium, manganese, nickel and lead in the tissues of the Moggel, Labeo Umbratus (cyprinidae), from Witbank Dam, Mpumalanga. Water S A 26:269–284

    CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Zoology, University of Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

    Muhammad Siraj, Muhammad Khisroon & Ajmal Khan

Authors
  1. Muhammad Siraj
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Muhammad Khisroon
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Ajmal Khan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Muhammad Khisroon.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of Interest

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Ethics Approval

The study was approved by the Ethical Committee of the Department of Pharmacy, University of Peshawar.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Siraj, M., Khisroon, M. & Khan, A. Bioaccumulation of Heavy Metals in Different Organs of Wallago attu from River Kabul Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Biol Trace Elem Res 172, 242–250 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-015-0572-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-015-0572-4

Keywords

Search

Navigation