title: Trace metals health risk appraisal in fish species of Arabian Sea.
abstract: Fish is a vital food for humans and many animals. We report an environmental monitoring study to assess the trace metals in fish species caught from Arabian Sea and commercially available in the coastal city Karachi, Pakistan. Heavy metals such as copper, iron, lead and cadmium were determined in the skin, fillet and heart of the fish species Pampus argenteus, Epinephelus chlorostigma, Rachycentron canadum, Scomberomorus commerson, Johnius belangerii, Labeo rohita, Lutjanus argentimaculatus, Trachinotus blochii, Pomadsys olivaceum and Acanthopagrus berda by the atomic absorption spectrophotometer. The concentration (mg kg(-1), dry weight) range was: Cd (0.00-0.041), Cu (0.006-0.189), Fe (0.413-4.952) and Pb (0.00-0.569). Cadmium, copper and iron levels were below the tolerable limits whereas concentration of lead in the skins of S. commerson, E. chlorostigma, J. belangerii, A. berda; L. argentimaculatus, fillets of J. belangerii, E. chlorostigma and in the heart of J. belangerii exceeded the recommended limits. Therefore fish skin should be discouraged as food for humans or animals. The results indicate that a number of fish species have higher concentration of heavy metals dangerous for human health. Since the fish P. olivaceum (Dhotar) has the lowest level of trace metals therefore we recommend it for breeding and human consumption.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Federal Urdu University of Arts, Science and Technology, Gulshan-e-Iqbal Campus, Karachi, 75300 Pakistan.
authors.forename: Kousar
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yasmeen
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Mirpur University of Science & Technology (MUST), Mirpur, 10250 AJ&K Pakistan.
authors.forename: Muhammad Aslam
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Mirza
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Federal Urdu University of Arts, Science and Technology, Gulshan-e-Iqbal Campus, Karachi, 75300 Pakistan.
authors.forename: Namra A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Federal Urdu University of Arts, Science and Technology, Gulshan-e-Iqbal Campus, Karachi, 75300 Pakistan.
authors.forename: Nazish
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kausar
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Federal Urdu University of Arts, Science and Technology, Gulshan-e-Iqbal Campus, Karachi, 75300 Pakistan.
authors.forename: Atta-Ur
authors.initials: AU
authors.lastname: Rehman
authors.affiliation: Nabiqasim Industries (Pvt) Ltd. Commerce Centre, Hasrat Mohani Road, Karachi, 74200 Pakistan.
authors.forename: Muddasir
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hanif
keywords: Environmental pollution; Fish species; Human health; Karachi; Trace metals