Selected elemental composition of the muscle tissue of three species of fish, Tilapia nilotica, Cirrhina mrigala and Clarius batrachus, from the fresh water Dhanmondi Lake in Bangladesh

Because lead pollution was recently reported in the fresh water Dhanmondi Lake, in Bangladesh the concentration of selected elements in the flesh of three species of fish, Tilapia nilotica, Cirrhina mrigala and Clarius batrachus, were investigated. The elemental concentrations were determined using atomic absorption spectrometry and the following results (in μg/g-dry weight) were obtained: calcium 4999, sodium 3183, magnesium 2193, iron 131, zinc 60.1, manganese 17.5, copper 5.07, lead 2.08 and nickel 1.91. Since the commission regulation setting maximum lead level for the muscle meat of fish, released from the European Communities (EC), followed by the European Union (EU), is 0.2 mg/kg wet weight, corresponding to 0.96 μg/g dry weight, considerable attention should be paid to the lead content in freshwater fish species in Bangladesh. Furthermore, continuous monitoring of heavy metal concentration in edible freshwater fish will be needed in Bangladesh.