**Entomology Laboratory, Department of Zoology, Visva Bharati University, Santiniketan – 731 235, West Bengal., E-mail: phaldar5@yahoo.co.in
Post Graduate Department of Zoology, Bidhannagar Government College, Kolkata-700 064, West Bengal, India
*Corresponding author's E-mail: susanta_nath@yahoo.com
Online published on 29 November, 2011.
The level of different heavy metals(Pb, Cd, Cr, Zn, Cu) was studied on the consumers [four species of acridid grasshoppers: Acrida exaltate (Walker), Oedaleus abruptus (Thunb.), Pyrgomorpha concica (Oliva.) and Cyrtacanthacris tatarica (Linn.)] in highly polluted industrial area of Durgapur and non industrial area of Santiniketan, West Bengal, India. Pb accumulation was high in all the four species of grasshoppers than other metals in the industrial area but was absent in non industrial area. Significantly higher concentrations of Pb in Acrida exaltata (Walk.) proved this species to be a comparatively better accumulator of Pb and can play an important role in biotransfer of Pb to higher trophic level.
