TRACE METALS IN WATERS, SEDIMENTS AND FISHES FROM NORTH WEST ARABIAN GULF

TRACE METALS IN WATERS, SEDIMENTS AND FISHES

FROM NORTH WEST ARABIAN GULF

By
FARIS, J. M.*; Al-IMARAH; BASIM Y.D. AL-KAFAJI

AND A.R.M. MOHAMED

* Marine Science Center, University ofBasrah.
Key Words: Trace Metals, Marine Chemistry, Arabian Gulf.
ABSTRACT
The concentration and distribution of trace metals in dissolved
and particulate phases ofwater, exchangeable and residualfractions
of sediments and different organs of fishes from NW Arabian Gulf
were investigated monthly during the period Oct. 94 to Sep. 95.
Seasonal variation were observed in the mean concentrations ofthe
studied metals in both phases of water with less account in both
fractions of the sediments. Lead recorded clear level in particulate
phase of water due to heavy traffic densities and industrial activities,
while Cd and Pb were observed in high percent among the metals in
the exchangeable fraction of the sediments indicating their
anthropogenic sources. The concentration oftrace metals in different
fish species are different from one species to an other, and the organs
of same species. Different accumulation of trace metals were also
–observed depending on the nature and the function ofthe tissue and
ability of fish on regulating the level of the metals in their bodies
during the uptake and elimination processes. For bottomfeederfishes
it is found that gill accumulates Mn, liver accumulates Cu and Fe,
Kidney accumulates Cd and Cr while gonad accumulates Zn with less
accumulation in muscles specially Cd, Cr and Pb, and the levels of
some metals are increas~d with age of the fish. Concentration of
trace metals reported in different fishes from NW Arabian Gulfwere
lower than those reported in the world and within the acceptable
world wide range.