Leachate risk and identification of accumulated heavy metals in Pangasius sutchi

Pollutants put great stress on the environment, especially the aquatic ecosystem; therefore, the ease with which pollutants migrate in water is a subject of global concern. In this study, leachate from landfill that was analyzed with the objective of understanding the potential impact to the environment was tested on Pangasius sutchi. Heavy metals available at various concentrations in raw leachate samples of both closed and active landfills necessitated the determination of their degree of bioaccumulation in this fish species in order to enrich the risk data on toxicity of effluents. Zinc (3.2 mu g g(-1)), iron (2.1 mu g g(-1)) and chromium (0.24 mu g g(-1)) detected in the fish within 96 h of acute exposure is of concern. A histopathology test on excised liver of P. sutchi indicated cellular disruption from normal stain. Heterogeneous effluents like leachate may affect not only groundwater but can endanger aquatic ecosystems, especially in some regions where improper waste disposal and treatment allow the flow of leachate into surface water courses. Though metals might be beneficial to organisms, the extent at which they can accumulate in leachate-exposed fish is a risk and can initiate metal toxicity in aquatic life.