Abstract: In order to research on the current status of heavy metal pollution of fishes in Songhua River,concentrations of Cu,Zn,Pb and Cd in fishes from this river were determined with an atomic absorption spectrometer and concentration of Hg with an F732-V mercury analyzer,and the heavy metal pollution assessed with the mean-based comprehensive pollution index method.Results show that the contents of heavy metals in fishes were found in the order of Zn>Pb>Cu>Hg>Cd.Little difference was observed between fishes from the Second Songhua River and the main stream of Songhua River in Cu and Zn concentrations,and the Pb and Hg concentrations found in the Second Songhua River were higher than that in the main stream of Songhua River,however,higher concentrations of Cd were found in the main stream of Songhua River.The concentrations in fishes varied sharply among species.All the metals in carnivorous fish except Zn were higher than those in omnivorous and herbivorous species.At present,the concentrations of Cu,Zn,Hg and Cd in fishes from Songhua River are relatively low,and the pollution is much lighter in 2006 than in the 1990s.However,the pollution of Pb is still aggravating steadily.As a result of the high concentration of Pb,the fishes from Songhua River are still quite high in integrated heavy metal pollution,especially the fishes from the Second Songhua River,which has already reached the level of heavy pollution.

Key words: Songhua River, fish, heavy metal, historical evolvement, pollution assessment