Abstract
This study was performed to investigate the contamination level of heavy metals in freshwater flshes. The samples of 92 cases were collected at 7 areas located on HanRiver from November to December in 1980. Contents of heavy metals: cadmium, lead, copper, chromium and zinc were analyzed by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The results were as follows: 1. Generally mean value of the heavy metal contents of fishes collected on lower parts of Han River were higher than those of upper parts. 2. In the cadmium contents, the highest value was $20.52{\pm}5.10$ ppb in Carassius auratus, and the values at Hannam and Noryangjin area were higher than those at other parts on Han River. 3. In the lead contents, the highest was $0.29{\pm}0.03ppm$ in Carassius auratus and that in Parasilurus asotus was the lowest $0.12{\pm}0.02ppm$ Mean contents of lead in the samples of Hannam and Haengjue area were higher than those of other area 4. In the copper contents, the highest value was $3.13{\pm}0.34ppm$ in Carassius auratus and the contents of fishes of Haengjue area was higher than those of any other area. It was significant among the species, but not among the collecting areas in copper contents. 5. In the chromium contents, the highest was $1.16{\pm}0.12ppm$ in Carassius auratus and that in Parasilurus asotus was the lowest $0.21{\pm}0.01ppm$ The contents of samples of Hannam and Noryangjin area were also higher than those of other area. 6. In the zinc contents, that in Arassius auratus was the highest value with $14.06{\pm}1.13ppm$ and that in Parasilurus asotus was the lowest $4.79{\pm}0.53ppm$. On the other hand, it was significant among the species and collecting areas. 7. Accumulation of heavy metals in freshwater fishes is tended to increase with growth.