Monitoring of some heavy metals and wellbeing status of some fish species from middle Alexandria and Sidi-Barany areas Mediterranean coast, Egypt

Monitoring of some heavy metals and wellbeing status of some fish
species from middle Alexandria and Sidi-Barany areas
Mediterranean coast, Egypt
Mohamed A. Sayed Ahmed*, Laila M. Shakweer, Hoda A. Hemaida
and Abdou A. Alsayes
National Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries (NIOF), Al-Anfushi,
Kayet bey, Alexandria, Egypt. Fax: +203-481174, P.O. Box: 21556.
Web site: www.niof.sci.eg, E-mail: [email protected]
*E-mail: [email protected]
Received 15th December 2010, Accepted 1
th January 2011
Abstract
The present investigation deals with the levels of accumulation of Zn, Cu and Cd in various organs of some
commercial fish in middle Alexandria, (Anfoushi-Montazah) and Sidi-Barany Mediterranean coastal areas. The
average concentrations of metals ranged between 8.99-18.52 (Zn); 1.51-5.83 (Cu); 1.09-2.03 (Cd) mg/kg wet weight
in muscles of fish from Anfoushi-Montazah coast and between 2.65-8.18 (Zn); 1.50-2.29 (Cu); 0.31-1.22(Cd) mg/kg
wet weight in muscles of fish from Sidi-Barany coast. These figures indicate that the concentrations of these metals
in the fish flesh are still below the maximum permissible limits for human consumption. The accumulation of these
metals was found to follow the order muscles < gills < liver < gonads in organs of fish from Anfoushi-Montazah area, while, in organs of fish from Sidi-Barany coast, the metals accumulation in liver exceeds that in gonads. The abundance of these metals in fish organs was found to follow the order Zn > Cu > Cd in both areas. Statistically,
accumulation of metals in fish was found insignificant, depending on species, in both studied areas, while,
depending on organs, it was found significant for Zn, Cu and Cd in fish from Anfoushi-Montazah area and only for
Cu in fish from Sidi-Barany coast. According to values of condition factors (K) and hepato-somatic index (H.S.I.),
fish in both areas exhibit good wellbeing status, especially in Sidi-Barany coast.
Keywords: Mediterranean, Anfoushi-Montazah coast, Sidi-Barany coast, condition factor, hepato-somatic index.