Volume 1, Issue 1, May-2018: 7-11

International Journal of Current Innovations in Advanced Research ISSN: 2636-6282

Comparative Study on Iron, Copper, Zinc and Lead

Metals in Two Commercially Important Shrimps Penaeus
monodon and Penaeus indicus
Suravi Muduli and Lakshman Nayak
Department of Marine Sciences, Berhampur University, Berhampur, Odisha, India
Corresponding Author E-mail: suravimuduli1992@gmail.com

Abstract: This study was focused on the iron, copper, zinc and lead in penaeid species i.e.
Penaeus monodon and Penaeus indicus. The observed mean concentrations of metals (Fe,
Cu, Zn and Pb) for Penaeus monodon were 2.28±0.85, 1.01±0.42, 1.96±0.33, 0.81±0.17
respectively. Whereas in case of Penaeus indicus the mean concentration of Fe, Cu, Zn and
Pb were 3.47±0.73, 0.98±0.37, 2.01±0.21,0.62±0.56 respectively. In the current investigation
the recorded heavy metal values were compared with the national and international standard
permissible concentration levels recommended for safe consumption of crustacean species for
human health. Except lead the remaining three heavy metals were below the standard
recommendations suggested by WHO (world health organization). The values of the lead
were slightly higher than the permissible limits of WHO.
Keywords: Heavy metals, Penaeus monodon, Penaeus indicus

Citation: Suravi Muduli and Lakshman Nayak. 2018. Comparative study on Iron, Copper,
Zinc and Lead metals in two commercially important shrimps Penaeus monodon and
Penaeus indicus. International Journal of Current Innovations in Advanced Research, 1(1):
7-11.
Copyright: This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative
Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction
in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. Copyright©2018;
Suravi Muduli and Lakshman Nayak.

Introduction
In rapid developing countries coastal pollution is one of the serious issues because of the
establishment of new industries around the coast. Industrial, agricultural and other
anthropogenic activities which eventually liberate some toxic substances into the water
stream with or without treatment (partial treatment) may cause a great risk to various flora
and fauna as well as humans because they enter via food chains (Boran and Altmok, 2010).
Hg, Cr, Ni, Cd, Pb and Cu etc. have found in any aquatic environment may exhibit toxicity
on the aquatic species (Wu and Zhao, 2006; Ambreen et al., 2015). Shellfish provide major
essential elements required for the life processes and it may useful as major food item all over
the world (Iyengar, 1991). The purpose of the current investigation is to trace out the heavy
metal concentrations of above said metals in flesh of two penaeid species namely Penaeus
monodon and Penaeus indicus caught from local markets of Gopalpur city.

Material and Methods

Sample Collection
The shrimps Penaeus monodon and Penaeus indicus samples were collected from fish
markets located nearby Gopalpur city and the collected shrimps were carefully transferred to
the laboratory for analysis. Then the samples were thoroughly cleaned with de-ionized water

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International Journal of Current Innovations in Advanced Research ISSN: 2636-6282
and dried in wick of filter papers, dissected with stainless steel scalpels and stored at -200C
until perform the experimentation.

Reagents and Glassware

The analytical grade reagents were selected for the present study. Before performing
experiments, the glassware was cleaned with nitric acid solution (10% solution was used),
later on rinsed with double distilled water to minimize the metal contamination.

Sample Digestion Process

Selected samples for the present study were digested according to the methodology
mentioned by Novozamsky et al., (1983). For the determination of heavy metals, the Atomic
Absorption Spectrometer (Model GPC A932 Ver. 1.1.) was used.

Statistical analysis of the data

The selected heavy metals Fe, Cu, Zn and Pb for both the species were subjected to
experimentation in triplicates. The mean and standard deviation were used to validate the
differences in the observed Mean±SD values of the heavy metal content using SPSS
statisticaltool (SPSS, 1990).

Results and Discussion

Table 1. Four different metal values for two penaeid species

S. No. Name of the Shrimp Heavy metals (Mean±SD) (n=6)
Fe Cu Zn Pb
1 Penaeus monodon 2.28±0.85 1.01±0.42 1.96±0.33 0.81±0.17
2 Penaeus indicus 3.47±0.73 0.98±0.37 2.01±0.21 0.62±0.56

Figure 1. Metal concentration (ppm) in Penaeus monodon for Fe, Cu, Zn

and Pb

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International Journal of Current Innovations in Advanced Research ISSN: 2636-6282

Figure 2. Metal concentration (ppm) in Penaeus indicus for Fe, Cu, Zn and Pb
Fe (Iron)
Iron serve various functions in the body. It supplies oxygen to the tissues from the lungs
through haemoglobin as carrier and an integral part of the different enzyme systems in
several tissues (Camara et al., 2005). The mean average value of Fe of Penaeus indicus was
maximum 3.47±0.73 ppm, whereas minimum value of 2.28±0.85 ppm was recorded in
Penaeus monodon. The observed values of the Fe were found to be below the specified limits
of Fe concentration (10 ppm) in prawns by WHO in 1989 (Table 1, Figures 1 and 2).

Cu (Copper)
Engel et al., (1981) stated that copper is a core component in haemocynin as transport
molecule and it is major trace metal in all living organisms. Walshe et al., (1984) reported
that the liver diseases are due to excess accumulation in hepatic cells. Copper abnormal
accumulation in the tissues and blood leads to Wilson's disease, which is a genetic disorder
(Jones and Hunt, 1983; Lee and Garvery, 1998). Sarkar et al., (1983) stated that the major
proportion of the absorbed copper is in bound with metallothionein and it is stored in bone
marrow and liver. In the present study maximum mean value of 1.01±0.42 was recorded in
Penaeus monodon and minimum of 0.98±0.37 was recorded in Penaeus indicus and these
values were below the permissible limits of WHO (1989) (30 ppm) and FAO permissible
limits (10 ppm) for prawns (Table 1, Figures 1 and 2).

Zn (Zinc)
Agricultural activities, food wastes, pesticides manufacturing industries and paints used
against antifouling are the chief sources of Zinc presence in the atmosphere. It is a prominent
element required for all living systems in trace amounts (Merian, 1991).

According to Leland and Kuwabara (1985) it is a toxic element to the species of crustaceans,
algae and salmonids when it is in higher quantity. Gore and Bryant (1986) suggested that it
has very strong impact on invertebrates especially for macro-invertebrates. WHO (1992)
recommended that the maximum permissible limits of Zinc are 1000 ppm. But as per the
observations of this study zinc load (concentration) in the tissues of the two prawns Penaeus
monodon (1.96±0.33) and Penaeus indicus (2.01±0.21) are below the recommended levels of
WHO (1992) (Table 1, Figures 1 and 2).

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International Journal of Current Innovations in Advanced Research ISSN: 2636-6282
Pb (Lead)
Lead is considered as deadly poisonous substance when it is administered even in very small
quantity. It alters the functions of nerve receptor (Bodansky et al., 1987). Presence of lead in
higher concentration in marine environment is due to several factors they are using petroleum
products in mechanized boat operations, oil spills, industrial effluents, sewage effluents
(Laxen, 1983). Lead toxicity leads to dysfunction of renal tubules, alterations in sodium
transport system in the body of man (Goyer, 1986; Manahan, 1992). The maximum metal
concentration was recorded in Penaeus monodon (0.81±0.17 ppm) whereas minimum was
noticed in Penaeus indicus (0.62±0.56 ppm). According to the specifications given in WHO
(1992) the maximum permissible concentration of Lead is 0.5 ppm but in the study the lead
concentration was slightly higher in two species (Table 1, Figures 1 and 2).

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