Investigation of heavy metal concentrations in sea food from three selected landing centers of Chennai coast

Abstract

A polluted marine environment may end in food chain and pose risk to public health. A study was undertaken to analyze the level of heavy metal concentrations chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), Iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), Lead (Pb), nickel (Ni), manganese (Mn), lithium (Li) and titanium (Ti) in sea foods harvested from fish landing centres Ennore, Royapuram and Pattinapakkam located in Chennai. The samples were analyzed using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry method (ICP-OES). The highest average concentration of heavy metals was recorded from Ennore (10.70 mg kg-1) and in crabs (11.7 mg kg-1) among the sea foods. Ni was highest and Fe was lowest recorded from all the study sites. Chi square analysis revealed no significant difference (P > 0.05) between the study areas and seafood varieties. Cr, Mn, Ni and Zn exceeded and Cu, Fe and Pb were within the permissible limits of WHO (1989) for human consumption.