A Review on Measurement of Concentration of Heavy Metals in the Muscles of Mugil cephalus

Heavy metals are an important class of compounds that is increasing in environment due to the anthropogenic activities. They are extremely toxic to human beings and animals. Many of them enter the water through industrial waste and effect the aquatic life. Fishes, for example, are an important source of food and they get effected by heavy metals when they ingest the infected sediments, mud and water. Heavy metals enter the food chain when infected fishes are consumed and effect humans as well. We highlight the recent (10-15 years) published work on measuring the levels of heavy metal in Mugilcephalus (Flathead mullet) fish. Out of all the methods compared and discussed in this paper, Atomic absorption spectroscopy was found to be the most preferred method and most commonly used by researchers because of its ease and cost. The most commonly used unit for metal detection in muscles was g/g (dry weight).The results also summarize advantages and drawbacks of methods used to digest muscles of the said species and heavy metal measurement. In selected studies, the levels of metals were also compared with the safe limits set by WHO, FAO and USEPA. This gives a lot of information about the edible fitness of the M.cephalus.