Comparative Analysis of Heavy Metal Concentration of Cu, Ni, Mn in C. obtusa and T. duplicata Snails and Its Health Risk Assessment

Abstract

T. duplicata and C. obtusa are marine gastropods that serve as valuable bioindicators for assessing heavy metal accumulation in coastal environments. These species, similar to other mollusks, have the capacity to absorb and concentrate heavy metals from their surroundings. The bioaccumulation of these toxic substances within the snails not only threatens marine ecosystems but also poses potential health risks to humans who consume contaminated marine life. This study aimed to investigate the concentration levels of heavy metals, specifically nickel (Ni), manganese (Mn), and copper (Cu), in the two snail species, using Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrometer (FAAS) . These particular heavy metals were selected due to their prevalence in coastal environments, often as a result of industrial discharge, agricultural runoff, and urban pollution. The mean heavy metal concentration for both types of samples follows the order Mn > Ni > Cu. The analysis showed that the mean concentrations of heavy metals in both T. duplicata and C. obtusa followed the order Mn > Ni > Cu. Manganese (Mn) had the highest concentration, ranging from 28.35 to 112.52 mg/kg, followed by nickel (Ni) with 1.63 to 4.47 mg/kg, and copper (Cu) with 1.53 to 3.36 mg/kg. The independent t-test results indicate no significant differences in heavy metal concentrations between T. duplicata and C. obtusa for any of the metals tested, as all p-values exceeded the significance threshold (P>0.05). Additionally, the THQ and HI values for all collected samples were less than 1, indicating no adverse health effects from consuming these snails.