Heavy metal contamination of commercially important fish and shrimp species collected from Calumpang River at Batangas City

College

College of Science

Department/Unit

Biology

Document Type

Article

Source Title

Kalinangan Research Journal

Volume

11

First Page

86

Last Page

93

Publication Date

2006

Abstract

Samples from three commercially important species of fish, Therapon jurba (bagaong), Mugil macrolepsis (banakan) and Scatopangus argus (kitang) and a shrimp (Penaeus sp.), water and sediment, were collected in September 2002 (wet season) and April 2003 (dry season) from 3 sites (N13o44.727' E 121o13.178', N13o45.179' E 121o03.754, N 13o46.130' E 121o04.545) in Calumpang River at Batangas City. Collected samples (fish and shrimp muscles, water and sediment) were analyzed for heavy metal ( Pb, Cd and Cu) contamination. Results confirm previous suspicion that the river is polluted. The mean levels of tested heavy metal in river water (Cd=1.23 ppm, Pb=0.41 ppm and Cu = 0.13 ppm) is at least 10x higher than the USEPA and DENR standards for natural waters while the amount of accumulated heavy metal in the river sediment (Cd = 9/7 ppm, Pb = 4.9 ppm and Cu = 5.6 ppm) already suggests a heavily polluted state, The trend is the same with the tissue samples. The muscle Cd levels (T. jurba = 67 ppm, M. macrolepsis = 61 ppm, S. argus = 52.9 ppm and Penaus sp = 61.6 ppm) are already at least 10x higher than the suggested acceptable levels for unlimited consumption even if the Cu (t.jurba = 14.2 ppm, M. macrolepsis - 11.2 ppm, S. argus = 9.1 ppm and Penaus sp. = 54.6 ppm) and Pb levels (T. jurba = 5.9 ppm, M. macrolepsis = 6.7 ppm, S. argus = 18.1 ppm and Penaeus sp. 6.6 ppm) are still within the high limits.

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Disciplines

Biology

Keywords

Water—Pollution--Philippines--Batangas City; Heavy metals; Calumpang River (Batangas City, Philippines)

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