Species determination and heavy metal content of sailfin catfish (Pterygoplichthys pardalis) from Tempe Lake, South Sulawesi, Indonesia

Abstract. Kasmiati, Latuconsina N, Putri AA, Khasanah R, Nurfaidah, Fahrul, Syahrul, Metusalach. 2022. Species determination and heavy metal content of sailfin catfish (Pterygoplichthys pardalis) from Tempe Lake, South Sulawesi, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 23: 4409-4417. Sailfin is invasive alien species that has become dominant in Indonesian freshwater, including Despite their abundance, these are not utilized because suspicions they contaminated by metals can endanger human health. The purposes this study were to determine the present Lake measure Hg, Pb, Cd various body parts. Fish identified based on abdominal patterns, while was meaured atomic absorption. heaviest two parts head (34.04%) flesh (26.64%), detected liver (0.0402-0.0928 mg/kg), gut (0.0322-0.0671 gills (0.319-0.0865 dark meat (0.0268-0.0589 white (0.0221-0.0470 bones (0.0180-0.0519 skin/scales (0.0257-0.0675 mg/kg). All them below FAO/WHO 1989, US-EPA 1999, National Standards. government health safety guidelines for fish be safe consumption Hg <0.005 mg/kg, Pb<0.10 mg/kg Cd<0.02 mg/kg. Therefore abundant Pterygoplichthys pardalis could consumed directly as ingredients other food products.