PhD scholar Muhammad Sohail finds heavy metals toxicity in Chashma Barrage mussels

Lahore : In an alarming but significant ground breaking environment research, Punjab University PhD scholar Muhammad Sohail working under the supervision of Dean Faculty of Life Sciences Prof. Dr. Muhammad Naeem Khan has found that freshwater mussels (Anodonta anatine) being sensitive to aquatic environmental contamination are excellent indicators of ecosystem health and stability.

According to a press release issued here on Tuesday, freshwater mussels, close relatives of pearls producing oyster mollusks are immobile and imbedded in the river streambed and filter water to obtain oxygen and food; therefore, they are sensitive to industrial, agricultural and other anthropogenic contaminants polluting even River Indus.

The researcher has found bio-accumulation of Lead, Copper and Chromium heavy metals in the gills, mantle and foot of freshwater mussels collected from River Indus and Chashma Barrage bed.

Punjab University Advanced Studies & Research Board (ASRB) in its first meeting presided over by the Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Zafar Moeen Nasir approved the award of PhD degree to Muhammad Sohail on the basis of excellent foreign PhD evaluation reports received from the leading European fisheries experts in the University of South Bohemia, Czech Republic and NAIK Research Institute of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Hungary, who endorsed the research findings as significant and recommended the award of PhD degree.

PU Vice Chancellor, Prof. Dr. Zafar Moeen Nasir has congratulated Muhammad Sohail on successful completion of his PhD degree on the basis of such excellent PhD evaluation reports.