Trace metal content of six Arabian Sea fish species using a direct nitric acid based wet oxidation method

Abstract

A simple wet oxidation procedure, based on the use of nitric acid alone is presented for the estimation of trace metals in marine fish by atomic absorption method. Six Arabian sea fish species, salmon, tuna, silver pomfret, black pomfret, lontail tuna and Indian Oil‐sardine were analyzed for their trace metal content. The nearshore fish species caught off the Karachi coast were analyzed for nickel, copper, manganese, mercury, iron, chromium, cadmium, lead, zinc and arsenic. The results are quoted at ±S confidence level and are compared statistically with those attained by common wet oxidation and dry ashing methods in terms of standard deviation and coefficient of variation based on replicate measurements.