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Trace metals in Ganges soft-shell turtle (Aspideretes gangeticus) from two barrage: Baloki and Rasul, Pakistan

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Abstract

The concentration of nine metals was measured in liver, kidney, heart, muscle, plastron, and carapace of Aspideretes gangeticus from Rasul and Baloki barrages, Pakistan. The results indicated that metal concentration were significant different among tissues of Ganges soft-shell turtles. However, higher concentrations of Co (5.12 μg/g) and Ni (1.67 μg/g) in liver, Cd (0.41 μg/g) in heart, Fe (267.45 μg/g), Cd (2.12 μg/g) and Mn (2.47 μg/g) in kidney, Cd (0.23 μg/g), Cu (2.57 μg/g), Fe (370.25 μg/g), Mn (5.56 μg/g), and Pb (8.23 μg/g) in muscle of A. gangeticus were recorded at Baloki barrage than Rasul barrage. Whereas mean concentrations of Pb (3.33 μg/g) in liver, Co (1.63 μg/g), Cu (11.32 μg/g), Pb (4.8 μg/g) and Zn (144.69 μg/g) in heart, Co (4.12 μg/g) in muscle, Ni (1.31 μg/g), Pb (2.18 μg/g), and Zn (9.78 μg/g) in carapace were recorded higher at Rasul barrage than Baloki barrage. The metals followed the trend Fe > Zn > Ni > Cu > Mn > Pb > Cr > Co > Cd. Metals of toxicological concern such as Cr, Pb, and Cd were at that level which can cause harmful effects to turtles. The results provide baseline data of heavy metals on freshwater turtle species of Pakistan.

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Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to Pakistan Wetlands Program (PWP) for providing transport during sampling and the first author especially acknowledges the support of Mr Richard Garstang toward this study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, PO 45320, Pakistan

    Riffat Naseem Malik & Bushra Ghaffar

  2. Department of Environmental Engineering, College of Environmental and Resource Sciences of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310029, People’s Republic of China

    Muhammad Zaffar Hashmi

Authors
  1. Riffat Naseem Malik
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  2. Bushra Ghaffar
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  3. Muhammad Zaffar Hashmi
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Correspondence to Riffat Naseem Malik.

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Responsible editor: Vera Slaveykova

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Malik, R.N., Ghaffar, B. & Hashmi, M.Z. Trace metals in Ganges soft-shell turtle (Aspideretes gangeticus) from two barrage: Baloki and Rasul, Pakistan. Environ Sci Pollut Res 20, 8263–8273 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-013-1805-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-013-1805-8

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