Contaminação por metais pesados em peixes e água da bacia do rio Cassiporé, Estado do Amapá, Brasil

Heavy metals participate in chemical reactions of fish metabolism, which makes these elements a major focus on contamination studies. The objective of this study was to determine the concentrations of heavy metals Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb, Zn and Hg in muscle tissue of fish of Cassipore River Basin (State of Amapa) and environment, aiming at assessing the risk of contamination. The concentrations of Cd in Plagioscion squamosissimus (1.061 µg g-1) and Pb in Poptella compressa (4.280 µg g-1) had values that exceed the boundaries established by Brazilian law. The Cr concentration in P. compressa (0.937 ± 0.5 µg g-1), Pimelodella cristata (0.463 ± 0.03 µg g-1) and Cyphocharax gouldingi (0.364 ± 0.12 µg g-1) and Hg in P. squamosissimus (0.670 µg g-1), Pseudoplatystoma fasciatum (0.630 µg g-1), Hoplias malabaricus (0.570 µg g-1 e Serrasalmus rhombeus (0.548 µg g-1) were above the legal limit. The water column showed high concentrations of heavy metals in all analyzed points, showing a contamination of this river basin. Therefore, the high concentrations of heavy metals in the environment and muscle tissue of fish indicate a high degree of contamination in the Cassipore river basin and risk to human health.