Journal of National Oceanographic, Atmospheric and Marine Institute

©NOAMI

Vol.25, No.1, 2008

ISSN: 1027-2119

MERCURY CONCENTRATIONS IN TWELVE COMMONLY CONSUMED FRESH WATER

FISH OF BANGLADESH

A.K.M.Sharif

Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission, Dhaka-1000, Bangladesh

M.Alamgir, Stanley A.Bajue and Rashed Alam

Department of Physical, Environmental and Computer Sciences

Medgar Evers College, CUNY, NY, U.S.A.

Abstract: Mercury levels in edible portion of some commonly consumed fresh water fish (12 varieties),
namely, Chitala chitala, Cirrhinus cirrhous, Ctenophryngodon idella, Colisa fasciata, Cyprinus carpio carpio,
Glossogobius giuris, Hypophthalmichthus michthys molitrix, Labeo boggut, Monopterus cuchia, Ailia coila, Labeo
calbasu and Channa punctala were determined by radiochemical neutron activation analysis (RNAA). The
results were found to range from (0.250-0.438) µg g-1 on dry weight, where four species had mercury
concentration, ( 0.250 -0.293) µg g-1, four, ( 0.335-0.393) µg g-1 , two, ( 0.407-0.413) µg g-1,and the rest
one,0.500 µg g-1 based the average values of 12 species of fish. The total average value of all fish
samples is 0.359±0.063 µg g-1. The results were found to agree well with other published data on river and
marine fishes and within permissible levels accepted internationally

Key words: Mercury, Fish, Radiochemical neutron activation analysis, Bangladesh

INTRODUCTION

Bangladesh is a country through which a large number of big rivers, the Meghna, the Bhramaputra, the
Surma, the Karnaphuli and the Padma flow. A good number of small rivers also flow through this
country. Basically, it is a country of big and small rivers. Besides these rivers, there are lots of “Bills”,
“Howors”, “Khals”, ponds, water reservoirs, lakes, and submerged lands where water exists throughout
the year in this country.

Fish is collected from these big and small rivers. Fish is also available in the “Bills and Howors”,”Khals”,
lakes and ponds. Besides these sources, fish is produced and nourished in big water reservoirs, ponds,
lakes and submerged watery land. Another most important source of fish is the Bay of Bengal.
Bangladesh has a large coastal belt.
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The Bangladeshis depend on rice and fish. The rich people of Bangladesh can purchase large types of fish
like “Rohi”, “Katla”,”Hilsha” “Chital”,”Kalibasu”, etc. The poor people cannot afford to purchase them.
They generally purchase small types of fish, like, “Tangra”, “Taki”,”Bele”, etc. Sometimes and
occasionally, they purchase medium sized fish varieties, low in price. In order to evaluate the
concentration of mercury in small and medium size fish specimens, this work was undertaken.

Mercury is one of the most toxic elements detrimental to man and other animals. Due to adverse effects
on them, much attention has been focused on the measurement of mercury in environment. The presence
of high concentration of mercury in river and marine organisms is well–documented [1-4]. Investigations
on heavy metals in aquatic ecosystems have recently got much attention and interest in Europe,
Australia and North America, but few studies are available about the level of contamination, particularly
that of Hg in different types of fish from rivers, and of the Bay of Bengal. The reports [5-7] gave good
information on level of few metals including Hg in some river and marine fishes of the Bay of Bengal.

In the rivers and sea, mercury originates mainly from coal burning, weathering, sewage disposal and
industrial wastes. From discharges of Chloro-alkali industries of Chittagong and Sylhet, through the
rivers, the Karnaphuli and the Surma, mercury discharges to the Bay of Bengal. Nearly, one hundred and
eighty tons of Hg is introduced every year into the Indian environment alone [8]. Every year nearly, 2.4
billion tons of sediments [9-11] are carried by the river system of Bangladesh. Thus the high mercury
level in the Bay of Bengal may be due to direct disposal of industrial wastes or solid wastes dumped into
rivers of the subcontinent, which ultimately comes to the Bay of Bengal. .

An estimated value of Hg content in daily diet varies from 5 to 20 mg and may reach up to 100- 300 mg
in coastal areas [7]. Fish can accumulate both organic and inorganic mercury in its metabolic system.
Various species of fish are the natural sources of Hg to man [12]. The total intake of Hg from other
sources is negligible [13-14].

Inhabitants near to the coastal areas are directly or indirectly dependent on the resources of the sea. The
main objective of the present study is to know the mercury level in the commonly consumed fresh water
fish of rivers of Bangladesh, and to compare the results whether they are safe or not to health.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Samples of Collection : Fish samples- Chitala chitala, Cirrhinus cirrhous, Ctenophryngodon idella, Colisa
fasciata, Cyprinus carpio carpio, Glossogobius giuris, Hypophthalmichthus michthys molitrix, Labeo boggut,
Monopterus cuchia, Ailia coila, Labeo calbasu and Channa punctala were collected from different fish markets
of Dhaka, Commilla, Chandpur, Chittagong,Sylhet, Rajshahi and Khulna. Special precautions were taken
during their collection and preservation in containers so that these specimens were kept in good condition.
Their weights and sizes were recorded. The samples were cleaned and washed with deionized water. Only
the flesh samples after removal internal organs, head, skin and tails, were taken out from the body. These
samples were sun-dried. The dried samples were then chopped into pieces with the help of a stainless
steel knife (steam-cleaned).

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Only the edible muscle tissue samples were used for analysis. The sample pieces were dried at 105-
110oC in an oven until a constant weight was obtained (dry weight) .The dried samples were ground,
sieved and thoroughly mixed in a stainless steel rotating drum for 100 hours to produce a homogeneous
powder .These powder samples were finally preserved in clean and dry polythene bottles prior to
analysis. All the chemicals and reagents were of analytical grade.

Irradiation

Portions of the samples (200-300 mg each) were thermally sealed in polyethylene bags and irradiated for
18 hours along with a known amount of MA-A-2™, the fish flesh homogenate standard of IAEA
(International Atomic Energy Agency) in the TRIGA MARK II reactor at AERE, Savar, Dhaka at a flux
of about (0.5 to 1.0) x1012 n.cm-2.s-1.

Radiochemical Separation

The process for dissolution and chemical separation was the same as the process described elsewhere [7].

Counting

The samples and the standard were counted on a 125cm3 HPGe detector connected to a 4096 pulse height
analyzer PCA II MCA card. The energies (in keV) chosen for the evaluation of the peak areas were
[197Hg: t1/2 (65 h)] Eγ = 69 and 77.3 keV. The minimum detection limit was one nanogram for mercury
for the total sample volume. The counting errors at the detection limits were around 7% .The blank
polyethylene bag did not show any measureable mercury content.

Accuracy and Precision

Experiments were initially carried out using a radioactive tracer and the corresponding carrier to evaluate
the recovery. The accuracy of the method was evaluated by analyzing the homogenate fish flesh (IAEA)
Standard Reference Material, MA-A-2 (TM). The mercury concentration was 0.45± 0.06-µg g-1 and this
result is in good agreement with the IAEA certified value (0.47±0.02 µg g-1).

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

In the Table 1, Mercury concentrations in some commonly consumed fresh water fish of Bangladesh and
their comparison with those available in West Bengal (India) (µg g-1 dry weight basis) are shown.
Average mercury concentration was observed in the level, 0.359± 0.063 µg g-1 in these samples. The
highest concentration (0.40-0.65)±0.108 µg g-1 is found in Glossogobius giuris and the lowest, (0.22-
-1
0.28)±0.026µg g in Cirrhinus cirrhous . It is observed that the level of Hg in fishes of fresh water origin is
much lower than that in other countries. A relationship between the amount of mercury (µg g-1) and the
number of fishes is shown in Figure 1.

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Table 1.Mercury concentration in some commonly consumed fresh water fish of Bangladesh and their
comparison with those available in West Bengal (India) (µg g-1 dry weight basis)

Type of fish(Local Scientific names Mercury Mean Mercury

Sl.No. Names (Bangladesh) (West Bengal,
In Bangladesh) India)**
1 Clown knifefish Chitala chitala (0.35-0.40) 0.392 0.32-0.42
(Chital) ±0.0600

2 Mrigal Cirrhinus cirrhous (0.22-0.28) 0.250 0.18-0.24

(Mrigal) ±0.026

3 Grass carp Ctenophryngodon (0.35-0.48) 0.407 0.32-0.47

(Grass carp) idella ±0.0562

4 Banded Bachcha Colisa fasciata (0.28-0.42) 0.338 0.25-0.36

(Khailsha) ±0.054

5 Common Cyprinus carpio (0.22-0.35) 0.283 0.25-0.32

crap(Common crap) carpio ±0.056

6 Tank goby Glossogobius (0.40-0.65) 0.500 0.48-0.69

(Bele) giuris ±0.108

7 Silver crap Hypophthalmichth- (0.22-0.38) 0.293 0.19-0.32

(Silver crap) us michthys ±0.072
molitrix

8 Boggut labeo Labeo boggut (0.35-0.52) 0.438 0.32-0.45

(Ghonia) ±0.077

9 Cuchia Monopterus cuchia (0.32-0.42) 0.365 0.28-0.35

(Kuchia) ±0.044

10 Gangetic ailia Ailia coila (0.25-0.34) 0.293 0.20-0.28

(Kajuli) ±0.075

11 Organe-fin Labeo calbasu (0.38-0.45) 0.413 0.35-0.38

(Kalibaus) ±0.030

12 Spotted snakehead Channa punctala (0.22-0.46) 0.335 0.17-0.41

(Taki) ±0.101

Average: 0.359±0.063 Range: ( 0.22-0.65) µg g-1

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**Mercury in Fish : A Global Health Hazard, Mercury Policy Project, pp 1-51

ZeroMercury, February 2009 (Edward Groth III, PhD, Groth Consulting Services, Pelham, NY, USA)
___________________________________________________________________________________

Fig.1
0.5
0.45
0.4
0.35
Amount of Hg

0.3
0.25
0.2
0.15
0.1
0.05
0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Serial of Fish

Though the liver and kidney are usual organs for major concentrations of metals but mercury is also
accumulated at higher level only in the muscle of fish [15] and in its case biomagnifications occurs
through food chain.

The permissible limit varies a little bit from country to country. One proposed by FDA (Food and Drug
Administration) of the United States is 500 ppb. The mercury level in the present investigation is much
lower than this value. The trend of increasing concentration of Hg with increases in size of fish indicates
long time of its conservation in water.

Estimation of Dietary Intake of Hg in Bangladesh

Average concentration of Hg found in the samples fish of fresh water origin is 0.359± 0.063 µg g-1 .
Assuming maximum average of fish consumption person-1 day -1 is 6-10 g dry fish for various areas of
Bangladesh, the maximum Hg intake through fish is estimated to be (2.54-3.59) µg person-1 day-1 . This
value is well below the maximum acceptable level for human being (0.5 µg g-1 wet weight) [16 – 20]
Similarly,70 g dry fish per week would result in an intake of 25.13 µg of Hg which is also below the
tolerable limit (7.0 mg kg-1 body wt.day-1 ) of an about 70 kg man as suggested by[20].

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CONCLUSION
The level of mercury reported here may be taken as a convenient baseline for determining future pollution
trends. Low Hg content observed in this study indicates that various types of fish are from pollution or
mercury contamination and come from clean environment. So there is no danger to have these fishes for a
Bangladeshi person.

Acknowledgement

The authors express thanks to Dr.K.R.Krishnamorti, Analytical Chemistry Division, Bhava Atomic
Research Center, Trombay, India, for using the method, the radiochemical separation of trace metals in
biological samples, used in that Laboratory

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