Bioaccumulation of Lead and Chromium in Cyprinus carpio (L.) from the Small Waterbodies Located in Rice Paddy Fields of Western Ghats, India

Veerabhadrappa, Chethanakumara; Krishnamurthy, Sannanegunda

doi:10.21608/ejabf.2025.442297

Bioaccumulation of Lead and Chromium in Cyprinus carpio (L.) from the Small Waterbodies Located in Rice Paddy Fields of Western Ghats, India

Authors

10.21608/ejabf.2025.442297

Abstract

Small water bodies located in agricultural fields in the Western Ghats have potential as sites for fish culture. However, these water bodies are contaminated with agrochemicals, which affect both the water and sediment and result in bioaccumulation in fish. This study investigated the bioaccumulation of lead (Pb) and chromium (Cr) in Cyprinus carpio, reared in two small water bodies (S1 and S2). The concentration of Pb followed the pattern: water < fish tissue < sediment, with 0.4, 28.3, and 71.4% of the total Pb estimated in each, respectively. The concentration of Cr showed a similar pattern: water < fish tissue < sediment, with 0.2, 6.7, and 93.1% of the total Cr recorded, respectively. Fish from site 1 contained 12.4 ± 4.85mg Pb/kg dry weight, while those from site 2 had 7.8 ± 1.81mg Pb/kg dry weight. Similarly, Cr levels were 14.0 ± 3.10mg/ kg dry weight in fish from site 1 and 11.1 ± 2.40mg/ kg dry weight in fish from site 2. These concentrations of both Pb and Cr exceed the permissible limits recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO). Accumulation of both Pb and Cr in fish was found to increase with fish growth (P< 0.05). The presence of elevated levels of these metals in food fish raised in such water bodies may pose significant health risks to humans.

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