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This article discusses the temporal variation and stress of heavy metal accumulation in Scylla serrata (Forskal) with reference to sexes. Cd and Sn were undetected (i.e., below the method detection limits of 0.001 Cd mg/kg wet weight and 0.005 Sn mg/kg) in both sexes. However, Scylla serrata (Forskal) consistently exhibited high accumulation of As, Pb, Hg and Zn. Zn was the most abundant metal in both sexes. (Average Zn content in males and females was around 40.76 ± 2.51 and 45.10 ± 2.24 mg/kg wet weight, respectively.) Pb and Hg levels exceeded EU and Sri Lankan admissible limits on many occasions (0.02 Pb mg/kg wet weight and 0.5 Hg mg/kg wet weight). Bioconcentration factors (BCFs) of As and Zn from the water > 1 in both sexes indicating effective direct uptake from the water. However, temporal variation of Zn and Hg and the interaction between temporal variation of these metals and the two sexes were insignificant (P > 0.05). Nevertheless, temporal variation of Pb (P

This article discusses bioaccumulation and temporal variation of heavy metals in three edible lagoon fish species with references to gender. Cd and As were undetected in the three fish species (i.e., below the method detection limits of 1 μg Cd/kg wet weight and 2 μg As/kg wet weight) irrespective of the periods, and Cd was undetected in the water too (i.e., below the detection limit of 0.0003 mg/L). Except for Zn (which was mainly available as Zn2+ in the water), Pb was present largely as low labile metal-chloride complexes and As as HAsO4 2− as per Visual MINTEQ, version 3.1. Bio-transfer factors of Sn (which was also undetected in the water; below the detection limit of 0.05 mg/L), Hg, Pb, and Zn were