| The concentrations of heavy metals (Cu, Zn, Fe, Pb and Hg) were measured in water and the Muscles, liver, gills, kidney and gonad of fish species collected from Nawalpur Son River, Shahdol district, Shahdol division in central India. The levels of heavy metals varied significantly among fish species and organs. Muscles possessed the lowest concentration of metals. The essential metals as Cu were accumulated mainly in liver and gonad, Zn accumulated mainly in Gills and Liver, Fe were accumulated in all organs with little bit fluctuation in concentration while Pb accumulated mainly in gill, liver and gonad and highest concentration of Hg found in mainly Muscle, Liver and Gonad. The concentration of metals in the present fish organs within the permissible limits given by WHO and FAO but in case of Pb and Hg these are higher than the limits. This is also noticeable that the concentration of metals is higher in summer seasons while lowest concentrations were found in winter. This study reveals that fishes found in this site are not suitable for human consumption it may cause severe health hazard because of high concentration of lead and Mercury and the Bioaccumulation Factor values of the heavy metals analyzed in this study showed that bioaccumulation has occurred in the fish in the alarming rate.
Keywords: Heavy metals, Son River at Nawalpur, Fishes, health threats, Bioaccumulation Factor
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