Metal contents of fish from cultureponds near scrap metal reclamation facilities

Milkfish(Chanos chanos) from four fish-culture ponds adjacent to different metal recovery facilities along the Er-Jen River area, Tainan, Taiwan, were sampled to determine their metal contents. Chemical analysis showed that fish tissue contained different concentrations of Cu: 0.71 similar to 6.37 mu g/g, Pb: ND (not detectable) similar to 41.04 mu g/g, Cd, ND similar to 0.41 mu g/g, Al. 6.75 similar to 64.11 mu g/g, Ni: 0.062 similar to 0.504 mu g/g and Zn: 16.11 similar to 41.86 mu g/g. The average concentrations of Cu, Al? Zn, Cd and Pb in fish samples from some of the ponds were significantly higher than those from the reference pond. In addition: there were variations in metal concentrations of fish collected from different ponds. Pond D had the highest mean values of Cu, Cd and Zn, and Pond B of Al and Pb. Further investigations are needed to determine the source of metal contamination in the fish. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.