Sadaf Bilal, Natasha Junaid, Kashif-ur Rehman Khalil, Romana Ayub.
Determination of selected heavy metals concentration in farmed and fresh water fish consumed in Peshawar.
J Med Sci Jan ;27(4):322-8.

Objective: To assess and compare the concentration of heavy metals in farm and fresh water fish commonly consumed in district Peshawar.Material and Methods: A Cross-sectional, analytical study was conducted at community medicine department of Khyber Medical college, Peshawar-Pakistan. Eighty Samples were selected using Non probability convenient sampling technique.Atomic absorption spectroscopy was used for analysis of heavy metals. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 23.Results: Out of all fishes 80(100%), there were 32(40%) fresh water fishes and 48(60%) were farm fishes. Mean lead level in fishes was -0.0771ug/g +- 0.05SD. Mean Cadmium level was 0.0475ug/g +- 0.04SD. Mean mercury level was 8.1101ug/g +- 1.25SD. Mean Arsenic level was 0.166ug/g +- 0.112SD. Out of all fish 80(100%), Fresh water contain more lead -0.1046 +- 0.05SD as compare to farm fish -0.0587 +- 0.593 SD (P=0.000) Mean cadmium level in farm fish was 0.0509 +- 0.06SD. While mean cadmium level in fresh water fish was 0.0425 +- 0.097SD (P=0.441).Out of all fishes 40(100%),Fresh water fish contain high mercury 8.46712 +- 0.739SD as compare to WHO standard and approximately similar values are reported in farm fishes 7.87220 +- 1.472SD (p=0.000). Farm fish contain high level of arsenic 0.21275 +- 0.110SD as compare to fresh fish 0.09668 +- 0.07 SD (p=0.001)Conclusion: High level of mercury and arsenic are found in this study. However, concentration of mercury is above WHO defined limits as compare to other metals in all samples.

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