Distribution of toxic metals, Hg, Cd and Pb in zooplankton along the Indian coasts

Abstract

Distribution of toxic metals such as Hg, Cd and Pb in zooplankton is assessed with a view to correlate it with the prevalent environmental conditions along the Indian coast. While Hg could not be detected in zooplankton the concentrations of Cd and Pb show interesting ranges which are discussed in the light of the availability and presence of these two toxic metals in the Indian marine environment. The importance of zooplankton in distributing these elements in the marine environment and in the marine food chain is also attempted. The results have shown high concentrations of Cd and Pb in zooplankton collected from the East Coast as compared to the West Coast. Some inferences have been drawn