Determining level of toxic heavy metals (arsenic, cadmium, lead and mercury) in Kampung Sungai Suloh's cockles (Anadara Granosa) by using atomic absorption spectroscopy / Mesman Sulaiman

Concentrations of As, Cd, Hg and Pb in the soft tissues of Anadara Granosa were determined by Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy. Sample was collected in February,2007 from naturally occurring site at Kampung Sungai Suloh, from Batu Pahat district in Johore. These concentration range from 0.551-0.763 mg/kg, 0.711-0.745 mg/kg, 0.356-0.3570 mg/kg and 0.225-0.452 mg/kg for As, Cd, Hg and Pb respectively, in 35 g of dry weight of cockles sample. All the four ranges of metals found in this study were lower than the maximum permissible limits set by Malaysian Food Regulations (1985).Therefore, the consumption of cockles from this site pose no acute toxicological risks of As, Cd, Hg and Pb to humans. Despite the apparent low concentrations of As, Cd, Hgand Pb in the soft tissues of A. Granosa on the time the samples were collected, from a public health risk perspective, the data suggested a continued need for monitoring heavy metal pollution in the cockles.