Bioaccumulation of heavy metals concentration in mullet fish (Palaniza abu)‎, waters and sediments from al-Hammar Marsh, Iraq

الملخص EN

The present study was carried out to assess the concentrations of some heavy metals in waters, sediments and mullet fish from al-Hammar marsh southern Iraq, which is potentially polluted from industrial, domestic and sewage effluents during the period between September 2010 to August 2011.

Concentrations of six heavy metals (copper, cadmium, lead, nickel, magnesium and cobalt were determined on temporal basis in gills, muscles , ovaries, intestine and skin of Palaniza abu species using atomic absorption spectrophotometer.

The order of heavy metal concentrations in fish tissues was arranged as follows: intestine > gills > skin > gonads > muscles.

The order of heavy metals concentrations in fish tissues on descending trend were found to be Fe > Ni > Cu > Co > Mn > Cd.

The heavy metal concentrations in the edible parts of mullet fish were within the acceptable level for human health.

The order of heavy metal accumulation in waters was arranged from higher to lower as follow Ni > Fe > Cd > Cu> Co> Mn.

However, in sediment was in the rank follow Fe > Mn > Cu > Cd > Co>Ni.

The transfer factors of all metals to the fish tissues from water were larger than those from sediments.

This led to the conclusion that fish bioaccumulation with these metals came from the water.