Ecological impact of heavy metals on aquatic environment with reference to fish and human health

Abstract

Heavy metals have a high density that is harmful even in low quantity. These metals enter aquatic habitats through various sources, home effluents, including industrial waste, atmospheric sources, and other metal-based businesses, as well as E-Waste. Heavy metal pollution is responsible for degenerating aquatic species, creating physical abnormalities in creatures and contaminating the aquatic environment. These poisonous heavy metals cause a variety of fish ailments like decrease in hatching rate, teratogenesis and bioaccumulation in the tissues etc. The contamination of heavy metals in aquatic bodies and ecosystems has a significant influence on the food chain. Because fish people consume fish, it has an indirect impact on their health. These heavy metals also have a higher impact on the environment because they remain for longer periods and have bio-accumulative capabilities, leading water health to deteriorate. This study offers insight into the disruption of fish and human physiology, their reproductive ability by heavy metals. This review provides baseline data on the heavy metals and aquatic environment, especially fish and human health. The data will increase sensitivity to preventing and managing aquatic environmental pollution, particularly heavy metal contamination.

Measuring the Levels of Heavy Metal Pollution in Al - Diwaniyah River Water Using Oomycetes Fungus

“…The concentration of heavy metals in organisms may rise due to their absorption by aquatic bodies. Slow evacuation can lead to bioaccumulation, a phenomenon that can contaminate the aquatic food chain (Gulati et al, 2022).…”

Assessment of heavy metal toxicity in fish and its impact on human health: A review

“…Metals can leak from their original sky into different environmental areas through volcanic eruptions, weathering of rocks holding metals, sea salt sprays, forest fires, and natural weathering processes. Numerous compounds, such as hydroxides, oxides, sulfides, phosphates, silicates, and organic molecules, can include heavy metals (Gulati et al, 2022) [13] . The chemical properties of heavy metals vary greatly, and they are widely used in high-tech applications as well as in electronics, machinery, and everyday objects.…”

“…Fish development and feed consumption are mostly attributed to essential metals; however, when these metals surpass their maximum limit, normal physiological and ecological systems within the aquatic environment are disrupted. The majorities of these metals are known to be carcinogenic and can also lead to serious health issues like liver disease, heart problems, kidney failure, and in severe cases, even death (Gulati et al, 2022) [13] . Fish with heavy metal accumulation experience adverse effects on their physiology, biochemistry, genetics, metabolism, and ability to grow, develop, feed, reproduce, and survive (Sulieman et al, 2019) [28] .…”