Heavy Metal Accumulation in Tissues of Three Fish Species from the Persian Gulf

Subject Areas : Environmental pollutions (water, soil and air)

Mehrnoush Norouzi ¹ (Assistant Proffesor, Department of Marine Biology and Fisheries Sciences, Tonekabon Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tonekabon, Iran. *(Corresponding Author))
Mohammad Mehdi Sadeghi ² (Department of Marine Biology and Fisheries Sciences, Tonekabon Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tonekabon, Iran.)
Mostafa Bagheri Tavani ³ (Department of Marine Biology and Fisheries Sciences, Tonekabon Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tonekabon, Iran.)
Hediyeh Zandavar ⁴ (Young Researchers and Elite Club, Tonekabon Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tonekabon, Iran)

Received: 2015-02-21 Accepted : 2015-12-15 Published : 2019-08-23

Keywords: Persian Gulf, Heavy Metals, bio-aggregation, tissue,

Abstract :

This study is focused on four heavy and toxic metals (Pb, Cd, hg and As) accumulation in muscle, skin and gill tissue of three fish species Alectis indicus; Epinephelus chlorostima, and imniscutus lutjanus. Moreover the relationships between some biological characteristics (weight, total and standard length) and the levels of the selected elements as well as inter-elemental relationships were assessed. The samples were collected from two important fishery zones of Bushehr located in the Iranian part of the Persian Gulf during September and October. After biometrical measurements, muscles, skin and gill tissue were separated. Metals were extracted from tissues using Closed Digestion method and acidic mixture. Concentrations of the heavy metals were measured using a sequential atomic absorption spectrometer. Results show negative linear relationship between accumulation of Pb, Cd and Hg with standard length and positive linear relationship between accumulation of As with total length and weight. Gills showed the highest concentrations of heavy metals and muscle was the lowest concentrations and it was significant. We found the highest concentrations of Pb and Cd in Alectis indicus, the highest concentrations of Hg and As in Lutjanus imniscatus, the lowest concentrations in Epinephelus chlorostima and it was significant. In all the cases, the amounts of heavy and toxic metals (Pb, Cd, hg and As) were higher than concentration of international guidelines FDA, WHO, NHMRC for human consumption.

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