Bioaccumulation of Heavy Metals in Water, Algae, Sediments, Egg Shells and Feathers of ANAS PLATYRHYNCHOS From River Swat and Barandu KP, Pakistan

The concentration of selected heavy metals in water, algal flora and sediments and their bioaccumulation in eggshells and feathers of Anas platyranchos were measured at target sites along River Swat and River Barandu in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. The order of HMs in water and sediment samples at River Swat was Cd > Zn > Ni > Cu > Cr > Pb and Zn > Cd > Ni > Cu > Cr > Pb, respectively. While in River Barandu, it was Cu > Cd > Zn > Ni > Cr ≈ Pb and Cu > Zn > Cd > Ni > Pb > Cr, respectively. The concentration of Cu, Zn, Ni, Cd and Pb was below the WHO permissible limits while the concentration of Cr exceeded the permissible limits in the water of River Swat, however, in River Barundu the selected HMs were under the safe limit. The target HMs in both rivers taken by A. plathyrnachos via water, sediments and food showed higher bio-concentration factor when compared to bio-sedimentation factor. Comparatively, River Swat was found to be more polluted than River Barundu for the selected HMs. The higher rate of bioaccumulation in the eggshells and feathers of A. platyranchos investigated in the present study can be considered a reliable biomarker to assess the biomagnification of pollutants in an aquatic food chain.