Arsenic, cadmium and copper in gastropod Strombus canarium in western part of Johor Straits

Abstract

The water quality of the Straits of Johor has long shown high level of metals. The marine gastropod, Strombus canarium or dog conch is a popular food source in many Southeast Asia countries. The S. canarium which colonize near the shore ecosystem is also exposed to metals in the marine aquatic environment. Therefore, assessment on the metal status is crucial since direct consumption of contaminated seafood would cause adverse affect to human health. The objective of the study is to assess pollution status by analyzing metal concentration (As, Cd, Cu) in seawater and soft tissues of S. canarium. The S. canarium specimens were collected at the Tanjung Kupang seagrass bed and Merambong Island at the western part of Johor Straits during spring low tide. The concentrations of As, Cd and Cu in seawater and soft tissues of S. canarium were analyzed using inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy (ICP-MS). The water quality results show Cu concentration to exceed the Marine Water Quality Criteria at 0.095mg/L at Tanjung Kupang and 0.082 mg/L at Merambong Island. S. canarium at Tanjung Kupang and Merambong Island also showed high accumulation of Cu at 1.360 and 1.025 mg/kg wet weight respectively. Although, Cu concentration was high in soft tissues and seawater, Cd showed stronger correlation than the other metals. Nevertheless, all metal concentration in S. canarium was within the permissible limit recommended by Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and World Health Organization (WHO).