Abstract

The heavy metals from the ambient environment enter the tissues of marine molluscs very frequently as they feed on the plankton of marine and estuarine water. Sagar island, situated in the northeast coast of Bay of Bengal, is the habitat of three major species of oysters namely Saccostrea cucullata, Crassostrea cuttackensis and Crassostrea madrasensis. By virtue of their sedentary nature, these species are exposed to all categories of pollutants, which have put them in the domain of indicator species. In this present paper, the concentrations of zinc, copper and lead were assessed in Saccostrea cucullata inhabiting Sagar island, Indian Sundarbans. A unique seasonal variation is observed in the accumulation of the selected heavy metals. A more detailed study is needed to establish the species as indicator of heavy metals.

Keywords: Saccostrea cucullata; Heavy metals; Zinc; Copper; Lead