Levels of heavy metals (Zn, Cu, Cd, and Pb) in mudskippers (Periophthalmodon schlosseri) and sediments collected from intertidal areas at Morib and Remis, Peninsular Malaysia

Abstract

The concentrations of Zn, Cu, Cd, and Pb were determined in different tissues of mudskipper fishes Periophthalmodon schlosseri caught at two selected locations (Morib and Remis) of the intertidal mudflat area of Selangor state, West Coast of Peninsular Malaysia and in surface sediment samples. Metal concentrations in the mudskipper tissue and in the sediment samples tended to vary significantly (p < 0.05) between the two locations. Higher metal concentrations (except for Zn) were mostly found in the tissues of mudskippers from Remis. For sediment samples, significantly (p < 0.05) higher metal concentrations of all metals were also found at Remis. Generally, metal distribution between different tissues of mudskipper varied with scales being highly accumulative of Zn, Cd, and Pb, while for Cu, the highest mean concentrations were found in the liver. The lowest mean concentrations of Zn, Cu, and Cd were found in the muscles except for Pb, which was lowest in the liver. This study suggests that mudskippers can be potential biomonitoring organisms for heavy metal bioavailability and contamination of intertidal coastal mudflats. The concentrations of Cd and Pb were slightly above the acceptable limits of Malaysian and European food safety guidelines.

Keywords:

• biomonitoring
• Periophthalmodon schlosseri
• sediment
• heavy metals
• safety guidelines

Acknowledgments

The first author wishes to acknowledge Prof Dr Ahmad Ismail for allowing him to use the facilities in the ecology laboratory (Faculty of Science, Department of Biology, Universiti Putra Malaysia). The authors thank the anonymous reviewers for their helpful comments. Special gratitude also goes to Mr Mohd Saufi, Dr Bintal Amin, Dr Osumanu Haruna Ahmed, and Ms Shafinah Kamarudin for rendering their technical support and assistance.