Accumulation of selected heavy metals in epinephelus epistictus (grouper) and water from Terayung aquaculture farm in Tuaran, Sabah

• Main Author: Chen, Seak Moon
• Format: Academic Exercise
• Language: English
• Published: 2015
• Subjects: GE Environmental Sciences
• Online Access: https://eprints.ums.edu.my/id/eprint/18543/1/Accumulation%20of%20selected%20heavy%20metals.pdf; https://eprints.ums.edu.my/id/eprint/18543/

The Cd, Co, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn content in Epinephelus epistictus muscle tissues and water, which collected from fish farm in Terayung Tuaran was determined. The relationship of heavy metal in fish and water were also examined. The concentration in fish is compared with the MFR 1985 and FAO 1989. E. epistictus (n=5) and estuary water were collected from the fish cage in open sea. Dry digestion method was used to digest the sample and the data is represented in dry weight. Inductively Couples Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry (ICP-OES) was used to analyses metal concentration in the sample. Fe and Zn are the highest concentration in muscle which is 46.746 mg/kg and 45.091 mg/kg dry weight respectively. Metal contents in muscle are arranged as follow: Fe> Zn> Ni> Mn> Pb> Co> Cd> Cu. In contrast, the highest metal concentration in water is Mn. Metal concentration in water is arranged descending order as follow: Mn> Pb> Zn> Fe> Ni. The metal content of Cd, Co and Cu are not detected in the water. Bioncentration Factors (BCFr-w) of Mn, Ni, Fe, Pb and Zn are more than one. All heavy metal is highly absorbed and accumulate in the body from water. Pearson's correlation (p<0.01 and p<0.05) was tested on the metal concentration between water and fish. Data shows Significant correlation of heavy metal between water and fish with moderate strength. Zn in water is Significant positive correlated with Mn, Pb and Co. The strongest positive correlation is Zn-Mn. In contrast, Fe is significant negative correlated with Mn, Pb and Co. The strongest negative correlation is Fe-Pb. All metal examined in E. epistictus is below Malaysia and international maximum acceptable level for aquatic food, except for Ni which is higher than WHO 1989 standard. Overall, £. epistictus from the fish farm is safe to be consumed.