Studies on heavy metals in gastropods; base levels of Zn, Cd, and Hg in hepatopancreas of Estuarine snail telescopium telescopium (linne) Bhoite Sujata A.*, Nanaware Shivadas G. Mahatma Phule Mahavidyalaya pimpri, Pune-17, Ex-Head, Department of Zoology, Shivaji University, Kolhapur *Corresponding author, e-mail: sujatabhoite26@gmail.com
Online published on 8 March, 2018. Abstract A Problem of heavy metal pollution is now a global problem. Because the heavy metals are retained and accumulated significantly in various soft parts of gastropod mollusks. The present paper is concerned with the accumulation of the heavy metals Zinc (Zn), Cadmium (Cd) and Mercury (Hg) in the hepatopancreas of estuarine snail Telescopium telescopium. These metals were analyzed by atomic absorption spectrophotometer in the freshly collected snails from the Bhatye estuary in Ratnagiri city (Maharashtra). The concentration of Zn and Cd were 0.079 ±0.02μg/gm, and 0.004±0.001μg/gm, respectively in the hepatopancreas. The concentration of Hg was not at detectable level in the hepatopancreas. At a comparative level the concentration of Zn was more than Cd in this organ. The difference in the base levels of Zn and Cd and absence of Hg in the hepatopancreas have been discussed in relation to toxic effects of these heavy metals on the metabolism efficiency of the hepatopancreas in this snail. Top Keywords Heavy metals, Estuarine, Gastropods. Top |