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Journal of Biological Sciences

Year: 2004 | Volume: 4 | Issue: 4 | Page No.: 441-444
DOI: 10.3923/jbs.2004.441.444
The Bioaccumulation of Trace Essential Metals by the Freshwater Snail, Turritella sp. Found in the Rivers of Borneo East Malaysia
Lee Yook Heng, Mazlin Bin Mokhtar and Saydos Rusin

Abstract: A study on the bioaccumulation behaviour of four trace essential metals (Cu, Fe, Mn and Zn) by the freshwater snails, Turritella sp. collected from three rivers in Danum Valley Forest Conservation area and Sarawak was carried out. The concentrations (µg g-1) of Cu, Fe, Mn and Zn determined in the whole body of the snails was 31.6-63.1, 368.7-741.4, 107.6-926.7 and 119.9-716.4, respectively. This study has shown that under natural environment, Turritella sp. is capable of bioaccumulates trace essential metals, especially Zn and Cu. The results have shown that Turritella sp. can accumulate Cu and Zn up to 1-2 times higher than that determined in sediments. The accumulation behaviour was strongly dependent on the amount of trace metals in the sediment and this indicated that ingestion may be the main route to the uptake of these essential metals. Most of the trace essential metals were accumulated in the viscera, followed by soft tissue and snail shell.

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How to cite this article
Lee Yook Heng, Mazlin Bin Mokhtar and Saydos Rusin, 2004. The Bioaccumulation of Trace Essential Metals by the Freshwater Snail, Turritella sp. Found in the Rivers of Borneo East Malaysia. Journal of Biological Sciences, 4: 441-444.

Keywords: Freshwater snail, turritella sp, trace essential metals, sediment, bioaccumulation, danum valley and borneo

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