Heavy metal concentration in dolphinfish (Coryphaena hippurus Linnaeus, 1758) from Karachi Harbour, Pakistan

Abstract

In this study, zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), nicel (Ni) and cadmium (Cd) concentrations were determined in muscle of Coryphaena hippurus collected from Karachi coast, Pakistan, at autumn inter monsoon, north east monsoon, spring inter monsoon and south west monsoon from October 2010 – September 2011. All samples were analyzed for zinc, copper, nicel and cadmium by AAnalyst 700 Flame Atomic Absorption spectrophotometer. Generally fish showed the accumulation level of Zn (4.13 µg g -1 ), Cu (2.92 µg g -1 ), Ni (0.40 µg g -1 ) and Cd (0.18 µg g -1 ) in muscle respectively. Zn, Cu, Ni and Cd accumulations in muscle tissues of c. hippurus caught from Karachi coast Pakistan were not exceeding the limit values. Therefore, all metal accumulations in c.hippurus have to be monitored continuously especially in these regions.