Heavy Metal Accumulation in Indian Freshwater Fish: Sources, Impacts, and Mitigation Strategies
Lavkush
College of Fisheries, Acharya Narendra Deva University of Agriculture & Technology, Kumarganj, Ayodhya-224229 (U.P.), India.
Radhakrishnan K V *
College of Fisheries, Acharya Narendra Deva University of Agriculture & Technology, Kumarganj, Ayodhya-224229 (U.P.), India.
Chandra Pal Singh
College of Fisheries, Acharya Narendra Deva University of Agriculture & Technology, Kumarganj, Ayodhya-224229 (U.P.), India.
Sunil Kant Verma
College of Fisheries, Acharya Narendra Deva University of Agriculture & Technology, Kumarganj, Ayodhya-224229 (U.P.), India.
Jyoti Saroj
College of Fisheries, Acharya Narendra Deva University of Agriculture & Technology, Kumarganj, Ayodhya-224229 (U.P.), India.
Puneet K Patel
College of Fisheries, Acharya Narendra Deva University of Agriculture & Technology, Kumarganj, Ayodhya-224229 (U.P.), India.
Mitrasen Maurya
College of Fisheries, Acharya Narendra Deva University of Agriculture & Technology, Kumarganj, Ayodhya-224229 (U.P.), India.
Vivek Kumar
College of Fisheries, Acharya Narendra Deva University of Agriculture & Technology, Kumarganj, Ayodhya-224229 (U.P.), India.
Hanuman P Yadav
College of Fisheries, Acharya Narendra Deva University of Agriculture & Technology, Kumarganj, Ayodhya-224229 (U.P.), India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Indian rivers, historically central to the nation’s culture and ecology, are increasingly burdened by heavy metal pollution from industries, urban sewage, agriculture, and atmospheric deposition. Non-biodegradable metals such as lead, cadmium, mercury, and chromium persist in aquatic environments, where they bind to proteins, accumulate in the liver and muscle tissues of aquatic biotia and pose long-term ecological and health risks. Fish, often used as bioindicators, exhibit clear evidence of bioaccumulation and biomagnification, leading to oxidative stress, organ damage, reproductive failure, and population decline. These impacts extend to human communities consuming contaminated fish, increasing risks of neurological, renal, skeletal, and developmental disorders. Recent studies reveal heavy metal concentrations in several Indian rivers (e.g., Ganga, Yamuna, Godavari, and Brahmaputra) reported contamination with heavy metals such as Pb, Cd, Cr, Hg, Zn, exceeding safe limits, especially near industrial and agricultural zones. Addressing this crisis demands strict enforcement of pollution regulations, advanced wastewater treatment, sustainable agricultural practices, and public participation. Protecting rivers from heavy metal contamination is vital to safeguard biodiversity, food security, and human health. Effective mitigation requires the adoption of eco-friendly remediation strategies such as biosorption, phytoremediation, and constructed wetlands, which can efficiently remove or immobilize toxic metals from aquatic systems. The present review highlights the complex relationships between heavy metal sources, their bioaccumulation in freshwater fishes, associated health risks, and potential sustainable solutions for restoring India’s river ecosystems.
Keywords: Heavy metals, Indian rivers, fish, bioaccumulation, health risks