Author:
Mallik Abhijit,Prusty Suchismita,Chakraborty Puja,Chandra Sukla Das Shyamal,Bhushan Shashi
Abstract
Numerous metal pollutants naturally find their way into estuaries, where many of them build up in the bodies of fish. While otoliths can give a historical record of pollution exposure, metal concentrations in soft tissue and water samples require ongoing, long-term sampling procedures. Fish have otoliths, which are three pairs of ear bones called the sagitta, lapillus, and asteriscus. The chemical makeup of these otoliths can be a useful tool to determine the presence of hazardous substances in fish because the physiological activity of fish is controlled by a variety of environmental factors. The possible use of otoliths as inorganic tracers of metal contamination will be covered in this chapter.