Authors : Prabal Barua, Abhijit Mitra, Kakoli Banerjee and M. Shah Nawaz Chowdhury
Abstract: Most estuaries receive high heavy-metal input from industries. This is reflected in the relatively high levels found in estuarine organisms. Seafood containing heavy metals as a result of environmental contamination causes toxicity in human beings. To evaluate such kind of contamination, this study targeted the analysis of selected metals in estuarine water and oyster (Saccostrea cucullata) collected from Indian Sundarbans. The heavy metals in tissue samples were estimated using a Perkin-Elmer Sciex ELAN 5000 ICP mass spectrometer. Significant variation of heavy metals in water and oyster tissues collected from four different sampling stations (2 each in central and western sector) of Indian Sundarbans were observed. The distribution of heavy metals in ambient water and Saccostrea cucullata followed the order Fe>Mn>Zn>Cu>Pb>Ni>Co>Cd and Zn>Fe>Cu>Mn>Pb>Co>Ni>Cd, respectively. Heavy metal concentration in the water and oyster tissues tended to vary significantly among season and monsoon period showed particularly high metal concentration compared to pre-monsoon and post-monsoon. However, due to urbanization and unplanned tourism, a negative impact has been exerted on the positive health of the aquatic system. The contamination of water is also transmitted in the biological compartment, many of which are consumed as food by the local people. The low salinity and intense industrialization in the Hooghly estuarine stretch may be attributed to high concentration of heavy metals in the oyster muscle inhabiting the western sector than Central sector of Indian Sundarbans.
Prabal Barua, Abhijit Mitra, Kakoli Banerjee and M. Shah Nawaz Chowdhury, 2011. Seasonal Variation of Heavy Metals Accumulation in Water and Oyster (Saccostrea cucullata) Inhabiting Central and Western Sector of Indian Sundarbans. Environmental Research Journal, 5: 121-130.