Bioaccumulation pattern of zinc in freshwater fish Channa punctatus (Bloch.) after chronic exposure

The pattern of zinc (Zn) residue in various tissues of Channa punctatus exposed to two treatments of zinc (6.62 13.24 mg L-1) for to period of 45 days was analysed. The concentrations of Zn was found to follow the order of liver > kidney > intestine > gill > muscle. Zn accumulated significantly (P<0.05) in all the tissues was studied except muscle tissue. Present findings revealed that liver and kidney are the prime sites of Zn accumulation and zinc load in the muscle was for low compared to other organs. In the muscles of C. punctatus, 4.95 and 5.29 mu g Zn g(-1) was accumulated in fish exposed to and higher sublethal concentration of Zn at 45(th) day of exposure, respectively. These values were low as compared to 49.72 and 67.31 mu g Zn g(-1) of accumulated level in prime site of liver tissue of test fish exposed to lower and higher concentration of zinc, respectively. Further, a linear relationship of Zn accumulation with exposure concentrations was in all tissues of test fish. These data will constitute a reference for future studies on the evaluation of Zn accumulation tendency relation to the ecotoxicological testing scheme for hazard assessment.