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Accumulation of Copper and Zinc Metals from Water in Anabus Testudineus Fish Species in Bangladesh

Nehreen Majed*
Department of Civil Engineering, University of Asia Pacific, 74/A, Green Road, Dhaka-1205, Bangladesh

Md. Kawser Alam
Department of Civil Engineering, University of Asia Pacific, 74/A, Green Road, Dhaka-1205, Bangladesh

Md. Isreq Hossen Real
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Manhattan College, Newyork, NY, USA

Mohidus Samad Khan
Department of Chemical Engineering, Bangladesh University of Engineering & Technology, Dhaka-1000, Bangladesh

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

Excessive concentrations of heavy metals impair ecosystems as some of those cause potential bioaccumulation in living beings. Fishes are the major inhabitants of water bodies which can be highly affected by these toxic pollutants. This study investigated the uptake trends of the metals copper and zinc from water in Anabastestudineous, a common fish species in Bangladesh. The accumulation of heavy metals was quantified in the species during time-bound batch experiments with metal dosing. The metal uptake trend in fish muscles revealed that uptake of Zn in fish occurred at an elevated level (~7-8 times) than that of Cu. With the uptake of metals in fish muscles from water, Cu concentration in the water decreased concomitantly whereas the concentration of Zn did not change noticeably. Correlation analysis indicated significant changes in internal dynamics among water quality parameters between control and experimental tanks. The Bio-concentration profile for the metals revealed very high levels for Zn (5-10 times) than those for Cu evidently due to a higher amount of uptake of Zn. To summarize, the dynamics of heavy metal metabolism in the fish species and their respective correlation with the water quality parameters may vary for different heavy metals and for different fish species as well.

Keywords: Heavy metal, Metal uptake, Fish muscle, Bio-concentration

Location: Department of Civil Engineering, University of Asia Pacific, 74/A, Green Road, Dhaka-1205, Bangladesh

Start Date:

End Date:

Program Area: Risk Management in Agriculture

Commodity: Health hazard

Objectives:

The primary objective of this study was to investigate the competitive uptake trends and synergistic effects of copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) when fish are exposed to these heavy metals in a controlled environment.

Methodology:

The main route of metal uptake for fish is direct contamination from water (Bouquegnean, Noel-Lambot, & Disteche, 1979). Assuming little contribution of other routes of metal uptake for fish, batch experiments on a laboratory scale were carried out considering water as the key route of metal accumulation in fish. Anabas testudineus(Climbing perch) was selected for the experiment for their availability and survival reputation in severely polluted aquatic environments. Batch Testing SetupFish samples of Anabas testudineus weighted 29.8 ± 2.58 g were obtained from the local fish market of Dhaka, where fresh local fishes are brought every day to sell from nearby water sources. Collected fish samples were then transported to the laboratory with proper oxygenation and kept at room temperature and pressure so that they could become adjusted to the lab environment. Two rectangular tanks made of concrete; a capacity of 2000 liter/each were used in the first trial to conduct the experiment. One tank was used as the control and the other as the experimental. Each tank was filled with 300 liters of tap water. The physical and chemical properties of tap water were analyzed. Twenty-five samples of fish were added to each tank, kept in open-air condition and were fed twice daily with standard fish feed. A sub-lethal concentration of 5 ppm of Cu and Zn was initially dosed based on the literature (Ambreen et al., 2015; Vinodhini and Narayanan, 2008)for an acclimation period of 15 days. With such combined concentrations, the fishes in the experimental tank could not survive more than 7 days. Accordingly, the concentration of metal toxicant was reduced to 1ppm and the fishes were added to the cylindrical tanks made of PVC with capacities of 1250 liter/each tank. The volume of tap water in cylindrical PVC tank water was the same as previous. Zinc sulfate (ZnSO₄) and copper sulfate (CuSO₄) salts were added to provide Zn and Cu of 1ppm concentration in the experimental tank. In all the tanks, fishes survived and their physical strength and appearance seemed acceptable after dosing. After 15 days of the acclimation period, regular feeding was stopped and fish were collected using the fishnet for sampling. The control tank contained the same amount of fish species and the tank was not dosed with the metal solutions. Sampling and Analysis of Water Quality ParametersAfter dosing, sampling of both water and fish species for a 15 days’ span from both experimental and control tank were carried out for every two days’ interval until 9thday and then for every three days’ interval until 15thday. Different physicochemical parameters, such as pH, temperature, electric conductivity (EC), total dissolved solids (TDS), dissolved oxygen (DO), alkalinity, hardness, ammonia nitrogen (A. Nitrogen), chloride, and sulfate of water samples were analyzed using standard analytical procedure (Clesceri, Greenbaerg, & Eaton, 1998). Water samples and fish samples were analyzed for the Cu and Zn metals and the procedure is detailed below. Heavy Metal AnalysisTotal 10 g of fish samples including parts from the head, liver, gills, bones, and scales were taken in a digestion flask. 10 mL of concentrated nitric acid (65%) and 8 mL of concentrated sulfuric acid (99%) were added to the flask. The flask was then heated under reflux. When red vapors started to emanate, 15 mL 30% H₂O₂was added by turns (5 mL in each turn) until the flask got clear. When no more vapors seemed to form, digestion was said to be complete. The flask was then removed from the heating chamber and allowed to cool. After the flask was cooled, the digested sample was filtered. 2.5 mL of the filtrate was taken and 22.5 mL of distilled water was added to create a 10x diluted sample and pH was controlled from 4.0to 5.0. Copper and Zinc were then quantified from the solution by HACH 4000 Spectrophotometer, using HACH programs 1700 and 3850 respectively. Statistical AnalysisStatistical analyses were performed using the SPSS 20 software (IBM Inc., USA). Pearson’s correlation and linear regression analysis were carried out to determine the correlation between different parameters and understand the trend of different parameters both in control and experimental conditions. Statistical significance was set to a level of 5% (p < 0.05).

Source of Information: Aquaculture Studies, 19(2), 91-102

Article Link (Online Journal): http://doi.org/10.4194/2618-6381-v19_2_02

Funding Source:

Budget:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

This study attempted to evaluate the uptake phenomenon of Cu and Zn metals in the commonly found fish species in Bangladesh, Anabastestudeneousin controlled laboratory environment for a specific duration. Apart from the metal uptake pattern inside the fish muscles upon metal dosing, trends of different physio-chemical water quality parameters and the selected heavy metals over the experimental duration and internal correlation among the parameters were also studied in both control and experimental conditions. With the same concentrations of metal dosing, uptake of Zn in fish occurred at an elevated level (~7-8 times) than that of Cu. With continuous uptake of metals in fish muscles from water, Cu concentration in the water decreased concomitantly whereas the concentration of Zn did not change suggesting the balancing of Zn level from another source such as excretion from Fish. Correlation analysis indicated significant changes in internal dynamics such as the correlation between chloride and the parameters pH, EC, TDS and alkalinity changed from positive to negative in control to experimental tank respectively. Both of the metals exhibited a positive correlation with EC, TDS, total hardness, alkalinity and sulfate in the experimental tank, however, the correlations were stronger with Cu than with Zn. Bio-concentration profile for both the metals revealed very high levels for Zn (5-10 times) than for Cu evidently due to a higher amount of uptake of Zn than Cu inside fish muscles. Correlation and regression coefficients indicated that the impact of respective metal concentration in the surrounding has a much stronger impact on the bio-concentration factor for Cu than on the bio-concentration factor for Zn. These results indicate that the dynamics of heavy metal metabolism in the fish species and their respective correlation with the water quality parameters may not be the same for all the heavy metals and even for different fish species.

Knowledge Management: Journal