Bioaccumulation of Heavy Metal  Pollutants in the Scales of A Freshwater  Fish, Catla Catla From Harike Wetland,  India

Sulochana Jangu; Onkar Singh Brraich

Volume : III, Issue : III, March - 2014

Bioaccumulation of Heavy Metal Pollutants in the Scales of A Freshwater Fish, Catla Catla From Harike Wetland, India

Sulochana Jangu, Onkar Singh Brraich

Abstract :

Sustainability of wetland ecosystems is necessary for various important functions such as food storage, water quality continuation and providing habitat for different species of flora and fauna. This study has been carried out to delineate the change in the water quality of Harike wetland (Ramsar site) of Punjab, India. Observations show that the wetland is facing both natural as well as anthropogenic threats. Rapid urbanization, illegal settlements, industries, invasive species are the major cause of pollution in this wetland. Heavy metal pollutants has been detected in the scales of fish Catla catla through energy dispersive X–ray microanalysis technique which indicates the altered water quality because the elemental composition of the scale is directly related to the hydrochemistry of the wetland water in which the fish inhabits.