Heavy metals concentration in spotted babylon snail, Babylonia areolata from Kemasin Coast, Kelantan

Abstract

Bioaccumulation of toxic metals in marine gastropods, including spotted babylon snail may cause a serious treats to human via food chain. Therefore, the present study investigates the metal contents in the spotted babylon snail, Babylonia areolata based on two sample groups, which are the whole sample and sample without the digestive system using Inductively Coupled Plasma with Atomic Emission Spectrometry (ICP-MS). The concentration pattern of the metals in sample with digestive system was As > Fe > Cu > Zn > Cd > Hg > Sn > Cr and As > Fe > Zn > Cu > Cd > Cr > Hg for sample without digestive system. Overall, the concentrations of these heavy metals were lower in samples without digestive system. Meanwhile, lead (Pb) and antimony (Sb) were not detected in both sample groups. Maximum permissible limits of toxic metals in food were compared and indicated that the heavy metals in B. areolata were within the safety levels except for As (sample with and without digestive system) and Cd (sample with digestive system). The exposure risk of heavy metals in B. areolata at the Kemasin coast, Kelantan is at a permissible level for the consumer provided that the digestive system is removed from the flesh.