ACCUMULATION OF TRACE METALS IN SOME BENTHIC INVERTEBRATE AND FISH SPECIES RELEVANT TO THEIR CONCENTRATION IN WATER AND SEDIMENT OF LAKE QARUN, EGYPT

ACCUMULATION OF TRACE METALS IN SOME BENTHIC
INVERTEBRATE AND FISH SPECIES RELEVANT TO
THEIR CONCENTRATION IN WATER AND
SEDIMENT OF LAKE QARUN, EGYPT
MOHAMED H. H. ALI AND MOHAMED R. A. FISHAR
National Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries, Inland Water and Aquaculture Branch.
101 Kasr Al Eini St., Cairo, Egypt
Key words: Lake Qarun, trace metals, bioaccumulation factor, water, sediment, benthos,
fishes
ABSTRACT
Concentrations of major metals (Na, K, Ca, Mg) and some trace metals (Fe, Zn, Mn,
Ni, Cu, Co, Pb, Cr, Cd) were determined in water, sediment, benthos and some common
fish species from Lake Qarun. Water and sediment samples were collected from seven
stations where, the benthos and fish species were collected from three sites representing
east, middle and west of the lake.
Distribution of studied metals showed that, east part generally had higher
contamination than west one which may be attributed to the impact of pollution sources in
this area which coming from El-Batts Drain and pumping station in the east part. Mollusca
and Crustacea especially Barnacles have the highest concentrations of most heavy metals
measured more than Polychaeta which make them suitable candidates to be used in
biomonitoring surveys of Lake Qarun. The concentrations of heavy metals in fish samples
indicate that Solea sp.and Mugil sp. seemed to be more contaminated than Tilapia sp.
which attributed to their feeding behavior. Bioaccumulation factor values showed that the
trend of accumulation of most metals was as follows: Mollusca > Crustacea > Annelida >
Solea sp. > Mugil sp. > Tilapia sp.