EFFECT OF SEX ON THE CONCENTRATION LEVELS OF SOME TRACE METALS IN OREOCHROMIS NILOTICUS OF LAKE EDKU AND SARDINELLA AURITA OF THE MEDITERRANEAN WATERS, EGYPT

EFFECT OF SEX ON THE CONCENTRATION LEVELS OF

SOME TRACE METALS IN OREOCHROMIS NILOTICUS OF

LAKE EDKU AND SARDINELLA AURITA OF THE

MEDITERRANEAN WATERS, EGYPT

By
L.M.SHAKWEER* AND M.M.ABBAS
*Nationallnstitue of Oceanography and Fisheries, Alexandria ,Egypt.
Key Words: Trace metals, Sardinella aurita, Oreochromis niloticus,
Mediterranean, Lake Edku.
ABSTRACT
The four trace elements Zn, CUi Mn and Pb were determined in the
flesh, gonads and liver ofthe males andfemales, ofthe fresh waterfish
species Oreochromis niloticus (Linn) (from Lake Edku) and the marine
fish species Sardinella aurita (Valenciennes) (from the Mediterranean
coast of Egypt) to contribute in qualifying the pollution riskfrom the
consumption ofsuch two common fish species in Egypt.
Results showed that the average concentration ofZn in the muscles
of s. aurita was 12.15 and 19.50 mg/kg for the females and males
respectively. For Cu it was 1.85 and 2.85 mg/kg. On the other hand the
concentration of Zn in the muscles of o. niloticus was 6.01 and 6.15
mg/kg and for Cu it was 1.66 and 1.67 mg/kgfor thefemales and
males respectively. These concentrations are lower that the
internationally allowable levels.
As for Pb the concentrations were 7.04 and 6.50 mg/kg in the
females and males of the former species. The concentrations of the
mentioned element for the latter species were 9.01 and 8.63 mg/kg