Monitoring of some heavy metal residues in cultured tilapia nilotica and mugil cephalus fish at Kafr El-Sheikh governorate

Abstract EN

A total 120 fish samples of Tilapia nilotica and Mugil cephalus (60 of each) were collected randomly from three private fish farms at El-Reyad, Sidi-Salem and El-Hamoul districts (40 T.

nilotica and M.

cephalus fish from each farm as 20 samples from each species) as well as 20 samples from both water and sediment from each farm.

The collected samples were analyzed for determination of lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), copper (Co) and zinc (Zn) residues using Perkin Elmer atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AAS).

The results revealed that the highest concentration of heavy metals were found in all samples collected from El-Reyad district followed by the samples from Sidi-Salem district whereas, the lowest concentration were found in samples collected from El-Hamoul district.

On the other hand, higher concentr-ations were recorded in fish muscles of M.

cephalus than T.

nilotica in samples.

The lead and cadmium levels in samples (100%) exceeded the permissible limit while copper level were lower than the permissible limit recommended by EOSQC, (1993).

Also chromium level samples (100%) lie within the permissible limit intended by NH and MRC (1980), whereas concentration of zinc in samples (100%) lie within the safe limit recommended by FAO / WHO (1992).The public health signific-ance, source of fish contamination with heavy metals as well as sugge-stive measured to minimize these pollutants in aquatic environment as well as protection of human from excessive intake were discussed.