This presentation summarizes a research project investigating the bioaccumulation of heavy metals in aquatic ecosystems and their impact on human health. The project aims to evaluate how heavy metals are removed from water by aquatic organisms, their biological effects, and how they bioaccumulate and act as stressors. Methods will include studying three types of commercial fish exposed to industrial wastewater and their ability to remove heavy metals. Outcomes may provide insights into ecosystem processes, risks to aquatic life and human health from metal pollution, and interactions between heavy metals and other stressors in aquatic environments.

1. Research Project Presentation
Submitted By: Sehrish Murtaza

2. Bioaccumulation of Heavy Metals
Impact on Aquatic Ecosystem
with Health Hazards
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3. Further dimensions
1. Bio-monitoring of aquatic pollution
2. Toxicity Evaluation in aquatic organisms through ultrastrictural
and genetic studies , mitigating toxicity using economically
viable and ecofriendly means phytoremediation
3. Enhancement of aquaculture using latest technologies
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4. Introduction
• Heavy metals are amongst the most serious toxic pollutants in the aquatic
environment and have attracted global attention due to their high toxicity,
bioaccumulation
• Aquatic environment is potentially contaminated by heavy metals which
pollute water and fish
• These heavy metals have toxic effect to environment as well as human and
bioaccumulate in marine ecosystems
• By the contamination of these heavy metals in aquatic environment may
cause potential threat to human health as they enter human food chain due
to consumption of fish and several aquatic products
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5. Introduction
• It is contamination in fish is also a significant universal issue for health
risks associated with fish consumption
• In the recent years, world consumption of fish has increased because of
their nutritional and therapeutic benefits
• In addition to being an important source of protein, fish typically have rich
contents of essential minerals, vitamins, protein and unsaturated fatty
acids
• But it has been proved that different severe diseases occurred due to
consumption of toxic metal contaminated fish. Several examples,
chromium (Cr) causes lung cancer ,nasal ulcer, (nephritis) extensive
lesions, kidney lesions by contaminated fish
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6. Introduction
• High concentration of heavy metals such as arsenic (As), chromium (Cr),
cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) are discharged into the water
• Cadmium and lead toxicity Poor reproductive capacity, kidney
dysfunction, tumors, hypertension and hepatic dysfunction
• Additionally, continuous polluted fish consumption may accumulate toxic
metals in human body which can also affect human health
• Water is contaminated by huge amount of untreated effluents from
industries such as spinning mills, dying, cotton, textile, steel mills, oil
refineries and others
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8. Impacts of Heavy metals
• cardiovascular
• disorders, cancer and skin problems such as thickening,
discoloration and lesions
• carcinogenic to humans and animals
• mental development and behavior
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9. Aims
• This Project will investigates how heavy metals are removed and degraded
with in aquatic environment
• To provide insights into ecosystem processes and offering opportunities for
the development and testing of biological filters
• To evaluate the biological effects of heavy metals exposure. Beside
abundance and exposure the question whether heavy metals induce adverse
effects in aquatic organisms is crucial to determine their environmental and
health risks
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10. Aims
• To investigate the sources and fate of water containing heavy metals
• To understand the interaction between heavy metals toxicity and aquatic
environment
• To develop a novel frame work for the risk assessment relates to human
health
• To determine how heavy metals bioaccumulate and can be direct and
indirect stressors for the aquatic environment. They are contaminants of
emerging concerns and acts as pollutants of the environment
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11. Outcomes
• This investigation will strengthens the assertion that metal pollution
pervades our aquatic ecosystems and has negative implications for aquatic
life
• Ecological knowledge regarding the adaptations of specific species as well
as factors driving species compositions might help to identify especially
sensitive biota
• In addition, understanding the role of heavy metals relative to other
stressors will require a multidisciplinary approach
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12. Outcomes
• Overall, understanding the complex interactions of heavy metals and the
environment can only be achieved by a joint effort. The upcoming
challenge will be to unravel the role that heavy metals play in a multiple-
particle world
• In addition, consideration of future scenarios may render vector-related
impacts and hydrophobic persistent pollutant) more prominent
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13. Material and Methods
Fishes
• Catla catla,
• Labeo rohita
• Cirrhinus mrigala
Waste water of industries
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14. Project Summary
• This project will use a combination of laboratory and field studies
to investigate the potential of different freshwater organisms to
remove and degrade heavy metals from the aquatic environment
• The ecological function of key ecosystem enginers
• Focus will be around different functional groups, with a particular
emphasis on filtering collectors such as different types of
commercial fishes
• There is opportunity to investigate how different types of heavy
metals may be removed and degraded, and how they impact on
human health
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