UTTAR PRADESH JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY

Essential and non-essential heavy metals are two categories for heavy metals. Small amounts of essential heavy metals are required by the human body to ensure its proper operation. High concentrations can become hazardous and change how the biochemical mechanisms that keep the human body functioning normally. The human body does not require non-essential heavy metals like mercury (Hg), which can be harmful to human health. Mercury can come from both natural and anthropogenic sources. When polluted soil and organisms are consumed by aquatic species, mercury bioaccumulates in their tissues, and its concentration rises up the food chain. Within the marine ecology, fish are at the top of the food chain. The aquatic food chain often starts with fish, and fish organs and tissues are at the top of the hierarchy and accumulate large amounts of heavy metals. In particular, the liver, kidney, and gill organs store metals (loids) at the highest level, and this varies depending on the type of metal; nonetheless, muscle is extensively examined as it is the main part of fish consumed by people. The muscular tissue of canned and fresh Indian oil sardines (Sardinella longiceps) was examined in the current investigation to determine the buildup of mercury there. Utilising a spectrophotometric analytical approach, stannous chloride was used for the analysis. Mercury levels in canned and fresh sardines were found to be 0.09 and 0.10 ppm, respectively. Sardines have a known Hg concentration of 0.04-0.18 ppm at the non-predator trophic level worldwide, which is also the level at which sardines may be consumed. Thus, the present sardines under study from Mumbai region are found to be suitable for consumption.