Abstract

BIOACCUMULATION OF HEAVY METALS IN SELECTIVE TISSUES OF THE FISH OREOCHROMIS MOSSAMBICUS (PETERS) EXPOSED TO WATER SAMPLE COLLECTED FROM PALLIKARANAI WETLAND ECOSYSTEM, CHENNAI, TAMILNADU

Punitha S., Elumalai K. and Krishnamurthy R.*

Abstract

Aquatic environment forms the basis for living organisms. Now a day, the aquatic ecosystems are getting polluted by various anthropogenic activities. Among the various kinds of pollutants that can adversely affects the quality of the aquatic ecosystem, heavy metals play a prime role. In the present investigation the bioaccumulation of such heavy metals in general and on the major target organs in particular were assessed in the freshwater fish, Orechromis mossambicus. The water sample from the Pallikaranai wetland ecosystem was collected and the further experiment was conducted in the laboratory. Experimental analyses clearly revealed that there was a great deal of heavy metal accumulation in the target organs of the candidate fish species O. mossambicus. This study warrants that there is an urgent mitigation required to save the Pallikaranai wetland ecosystem and also the biodiversity of the such habitat will be prevented from deterioration.

Keywords: Pallikaranai wetland ecosystem, heavy metal, environmental pollution, Oreochromis mossambicus.