Determination of some heavy metal pollutants in water and organs of some fish species from Nile River Dymiatta branch [electronic resource].

Includes references.

Mean concentration of lead, cadmium and mercury in muscles and organs of some common species of fish Tilapia nilotica , Clarias lazera and Bagerus bayad )from Nile riiver were investigated using atomic absorption spectrophotometric method . The mean concentrations of lead in the muscle , kidney and liver tissues were in the ranges of 0.5–0.8mg /kg , 0.6–0.9mg / kg , and 0.5– 0.7mg / kg respectively, while that of the surrounding waters were between 0.013 and 0.062 mg/l .Levels of cadmium concentrations in the muscles were in the range of 0.1–0.2 mg /kg; in the kidney tissues, 0.4–0.5 mg /kg and in the liver tissues 0.2–0.3 mg / kg .While the mean levels of cadmium in the surrounding water were between 0.004and 0.008 mg /l . The levels of mercury in fish tissues were 0.3–0.5 mg /kg in the muscles , 0.5–0.6mg /kg in the kidney and 0.3–0.4mg /kg in the liver, whereas 0.0050–0.0021 mg/l were the mean concentrations in the surrounding water . From the results, it was observed that the levels of these metals in the fish samples were higher than that obtained in the surrounding water. The distribution of lead, cadmium and mercury in the fish tissues investigated showed significant variations with respect to muscles and the organs .The kidney tissues had higher concentrations of the metals compared to the liver tissues, which is in turn higher than that in the muscles. This indicates that the kidney of fish is a better bio-accumulator of heavy metals than the liver and the muscle tissues. The accumulation patterns of heavy metals contaminants in fish depend on uptake and elimination rate.The implications of these contaminants beyond the World Health Organization (WHO, 2002) permissible limits were discussed .

Summary in Arabic.

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